The Rugby Pod's astonishing claim about the Gloucester signing of Jonny May
Former England international Andy Goode has made an astonishing allegation about the deal that will take Jonny May from Leicester back to Gloucester at the end of this month. It was April 11 when Eddie Jones’ Test level winger decided his club career would be best served by returning to Kingsholm three years after he left to join the Tigers.
The signing of May was trumpeted as a Gallagher Premiership coup by Gloucester. However, just 34 days after the recruitment of the 30-year-old winger was revealed, head coach Johan Ackermann quit for a position in the Japanese Top 14. This surprise exit of the popular South African was then followed just 18 days later by the decision of David Humphreys, the Gloucester director of rugby, to also walk away from the club.
Those departures have generated much speculation about what has been going on behind the scenes at Kingsholm and Goode, who fronts the chart-topping Rugby Pod podcast with ex-Gloucester skipper Jim Hamilton, has blamed CEO Lance Bradley for the upheaval, even claiming that the administrator, who only joined the club last summer, signed May and not the now-ousted director of rugby and head coach.
With Bradley turning down an invitation to guest on The Rugby Pod to take questions on what has happened in recent months at the club that reached the Gallagher Premiership semi-finals last year, Goode outlined what he believes has occurred, even apportioning some blame towards Danny Cipriani, last year’s top-flight players’ player of the year.
“We started talking about this weeks ago and it has rumbled on ever since,” said Goode, picking up the thread in an episode that was the 2019/20 season finale for the show. “We have seen Johan Ackermann leave, we have now seen David Humphreys leave.
Another seismic departure from Kingsholm https://t.co/7vvicrne4I
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 2, 2020
“When we saw Johan leave initially our original feeling was of massive disappointment because he is a very well-liked character who was clearly doing a good job for Gloucester. It was the first time they got to the Premiership playoffs in ten years and David Humphreys was the director of rugby above him.
“We speak to people and have got numerous sources around the game that told us Johan felt his position at the club became untenable because Lance Bradley, some players had gone to him behind his back and there were rumours that it was Cipriani to try and push (assistant) Rory Teague into the head coach’s role.
“With that, Johan says, ‘Look, I’m not happy with this situation, I want to speak to other clubs about perhaps looking for alternative employment’. That happens and then David Humphreys is leading the charge on trying to find a replacement, and I actually said I don’t think it will be the last change you will see at the club because you actually then start looking into things and who is making these decisions.
“I’m just speaking from what I think I know and understand from what I have been told. David Humphreys’ position had become untenable at the club as director of rugby, that is why he has left.
“I have heard rumours that it was Lance Bradley that signed Jonny May behind David Humphreys’ and Johan’s back and there wasn’t an agreement from those guys – that Jonny May was signed by the CEO as this big signing. Whether it is true or not I don’t know and I would have liked to have asked Lance but he didn’t come on. But this is what I have been told.”
Replying to Goode’s claim, Hamilton said: “Let me clear this up – so you think Jonny May hasn’t been signed by Johan, who was in situ at the time, and David Humphreys, who would have made the signing because that is the role of a director of rugby in line with your head coach?”
Goode confirmed that was exactly what he was alleging before carrying on further. “Why does David Humphreys leave that job? Why does David Humphreys go after the club have made a big announcement saying he is leading a worldwide search for the very best available head coach to work alongside him? Why does he leave the club two weeks later?
“The position has become untenable because Lance Bradley has been making decisions. We have said, who has got the power there, who is making these decisions? Is it Lance Bradley, is it David Humphreys on the rugby side?
“From a squad building perspective, the next few years are likely to challenge Premiership directors of rugby in a way that they have not been in recent history”
– @alexshawsport weighs up the state of play at Gloucester following a tumultuous few weeks 👨💻https://t.co/cbkIpsWJXy
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 3, 2020
“Of course there has got to be decisions both people make. But David Humphreys feels his position is untenable because other people are making rugby decisions when he is the director of rugby, which is clearly what I have been told and one of them is around Jonny May being signed.
“Look at the back three that they have got. Louis Rees-Zammit, Ollie Thorley, (Matt) Banahan is there, I don’t know whether he is still there next year or not. You have got Jason Woodward, you have got (Tom) Marshall, (Charlie) Sharples is there as well. Do you need a Jonny May? This is nothing against Jonny May at all.
“Is it a luxury? Is it a Lance Bradley ‘I’m a super fan’, is it that that sort of signing where the CEO goes, ‘Let’s get him back to the club’ and then the actual head coach and the director of rugby don’t want him there? This is what I’m being told.
“You are only ever going to get the party line from the club, aren’t you? The truth and what they put out there in the press are going to be two very different things but rugby is a very small world and people talk. People know stuff.
EXCLUSIVE
'What is the next cycle going to be? Will it be the same old, same old here we go again?' – @Phil_Vickery talks to @chrisjonespress about the state of Gloucester Rugby https://t.co/ldVr89QgZE
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 18, 2020
“I believe Humphreys felt he had no power as director of rugby because of the way Lance was and I think you will end up seeing Rory Teague as head coach. I think Cipriani has been involved in trying to push that case as well, and that is where the club is at but it just seems it has imploded from inside really.
“I am telling you now, David Humphreys, the only way he is leaving that club is if he has got a payout because he has got a very big contract, very well paid and rightly so as he was doing a good job and was the director of rugby. He’s not just going to walk away, it’s business.
“But you do hope whatever decisions they make now with their owner and the board and Lance Bradley it’s done with the best interests of the club at heart and not a personal kind of ‘I’m the CEO’… you could be an exceptional businessman but you need rugby IQ to make rugby decisions and unfortunately you can’t see that at Gloucester at the minute.”
With London Irish assistant coach George Skivington the latest name to be mentioned in connection with the coaching vacancy, Hamilton added: “They [Gloucester] are in a state of disarray at the minute. I watched Lance Bradley’s interview talking about the coaching shortlist they have got and the amount of people that are interested, I don’t know who will take that job. I really don’t.
“You look at the situation going on in the background that we heard might be the case, you do your research and you speak to Johan Ackermann and you speak to David Humphreys, I just don’t know why David Humphreys would walk away. I don’t think Gloucester will get a big name coach in with the set-up they seem to have at the minute.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
1 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
2 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
23 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
2 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
21 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
1 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
2 Go to commentsWhy not let the media decide. Like how they choose the head coach. Like most of us we entrust the rugby system to choose. A rugby team includes the coaches. It's collective.
13 Go to commentsHi NIck, I have been very impressed with him and he seems a smart player who can see opportunities which Bobby V _(who must be an international 6_) doesn’t see or have the speed to take advantage of. If he continues to improve and puts on 5kgs then he could be a great 8. He is a bit taller than Keiran Reid at 1.93m and 111 kgs, so his skill set fits his body size and who knows where it will lead. I hope the spate of Achilles tendon issues have been dealt with by the S&C people. It’s been a very long time since Mark Loane and Kefu stood out at 8. The question is will we be able to hold onto him, if he does make it he will be pretty hot property. I disagree with the idea of letting them go to the Northern Hemisphere and then bring them back.
21 Go to commentsBilly Fulton 🤣🤣🤣🤣 garrrmon not even close
13 Go to commentsDoes the AI take into account refs? hahaha Seriously why not have two on field refs to avoid bias?
23 Go to commentsVern challenging this Blues side might be the edge they need to fulfill their potential. Convincing results from strong D and strong carries are hard to argue against.
1 Go to commentsLove seems to add a strong back field defense with speed to close the gap and tackle to his ability to attack, kick and pass (an accurate long pass). This sets him an edge over some of the other names - JRK in particular. Has to be said that Jordan and Stevenson have also been exposed defensively while Love has yet to face test match intensity. Spoilt for choice.
1 Go to commentsHe’s strung together a few strong seasons, I’d like to see him in the ABs and build some depth along with Reiko and ALB. Levi Aumua hasn’t taken the step we hoped to see but time yet.
2 Go to commentsWhere has our good friend Pecos gone!? Similar place to the Crusaders D, the abyss.
4 Go to comments