Stuart Lancaster tips the man to replace Sean O'Brien
A little under three years ago, Stuart Lancaster was an unemployed rugby coach with the ugly feat of overseeing England’s worst-ever World Cup performance the most recent accomplishment on his CV.
A little under three years ago, Leinster’s stars had ended their Champions Cup campaign with six points, scoring five tries and conceding 17 in a miserable pool stage, before being filleted by Connacht in the Pro12 final.
Leo Cullen, their coach, sought innovation and invigoration. Lancaster sought something similar. It began with a chance phone call and has culminated in a glut of trophies.
Lancaster became “senior coach” at the province. His first game in the set-up was a Pro12 curtain-raiser at Scotstoun, a riveting contest owned by Tommy Seymour, who scored four tries in Glasgow’s 33-25 victory.
“I saw enough in that week to think, this has been the right move,” Lancaster said. “I knew they were a great group of players, I was impressed with their attitude from the first minute and from a family point of view, it worked, I could commute from Leeds to Dublin relatively easily. One year became two and then three years and now I’ve signed for another two.”
Lancaster’s influence has been significant. In the last two seasons, Leinster have been in four finals and won three of them. A Champions Cup and Pro14 double in 2018; runners-up in Europe and champions again in the league in 2019. His first match came in Glasgow and so too has his most recent, Saturday’s thunderous victory over the Warriors before a raucous and belligerent Celtic Park.
At Leinster, he is surrounded by rugby galacticos, but he has loved their willingness to improve and the absence of ego.
“One thing I’ve found about the players over in Ireland is that they’re very hungry to learn and get better and they’re open-minded,” he said.
“One of the values we want in the club is humility and part of being humble is that you can learn from other people. I was lucky in that I had 50-odd games of experience as an England coach, you learn a lot by playing against the best teams in the world, and that combined with their open-mindedness helps the team grow, I think.
“We played 57 players [this season] and scored 95 tries. The 95 tries weren’t just scored with the best team, the team full of Ireland internationals. The 95 tries were scored with a spread of 57 players.
“It’s not the fact we have to give them game time, they earn it, and one of the key things we do really well is give them opportunities in training to develop so when they come to games, they’re ready. That’s the secret, really.”
Leinster bid farewell to two Lions and two giants of their pack this summer. Sean O’Brien, the monstrous flanker, is bound for London Irish, while prop Jack McGrath is shifting to Ulster.
Neither played at Celtic Park, O’Brien injured and McGrath not selected. But O’Brien, a colossus of Irish rugby for an age, was summoned to the podium to the lift the trophy together with captain Jonny Sexton.
“I never got the chance to really coach him, he was at his best with the Lions and in my time with Leinster he’s been injured a lot,” Lancaster said.
“You’d just love to have coached him more. Jamie Heaslip is similar. But I’ve been so impressed with his personality, his integrity, his leadership, his desire to want to improve and he raises the standards of everyone around him.
“People talk about, what’s his point of difference? His point of difference is how he makes everyone else feel in the squad. It’s testament to his influence that he was given the trophy to raise because I don’t think anyone doubts his influence over the last 10-15 years.
“We’ll miss Sean and Jack, but you’ve got the likes of Ed Byrne who came on today, back-row wise, Max Deegan, Dan Leavy will come back from injury, Caelan Doris is outstanding for us, Scott Penny, the under-20s open-side, I think he’s a little Sean O’Brien, he’s going to be a great player.
“The show rolls on with Leinster and that’s a great credit to the academy and the quality of players coming through the system.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Think you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
5 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
12 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
5 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
7 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
7 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
12 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
12 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
5 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
7 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
12 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
12 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
5 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
5 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
12 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
12 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
12 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
12 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to comments