Wasps address speculation linking Martin Gleeson to England and rumours concerning fellow assistants Everard and Munster target Costello
Last October’s beaten Gallagher Premiership finalists Wasps have addressed recent speculation about the futures at the club of Martin Gleeson, Matt Everard and Ian Costello, three of the assistants that helped boss Lee Blackett make a great success of his first season in charge.
Blackett stepped up from his assistant role in February 2020 following the departure of Dai Young and he used the lockdown to steel the squad for the huge upswing in fortunes that brought them all the way to a Twickenham title decider versus Exeter.
It has since proven difficult for Wasps to maintain that momentum in recent months and they currently lie 14 points off the fourth and final playoff spot in the league with just seven matches remaining. Amid that struggle for results, which hasn’t been helped by multiple injuries and Test call-ups, Wasps have also had to deal with speculation surrounding three of Blackett’s assistants.
Rugby league recruit Gleeson was linked with taking up an assistant backs and attack role with Eddie Jones’ England, transition, skills and breakdown coach Everard with an unspecified move elsewhere, and defence coach Costello with a return to Munster to run the academy at the Irish club where he previously spent two years working as assistant to the late Anthony Foley before taking over at Nottingham.
Wasps boss Blackett has now given his reaction to all three situations, insisting there had been no approach from the RFU concerning Gleeson and that the Everard story was pure speculation. However, he admitted there was substance to the story that Costello could leave and a decision is expected this week.
"The environment couldn’t be better set-up to avoid spread. Let’s hope it works out. Please God, we’ll get lucky"
– @IanCostello1 tells @heagneyl why virus outbreak is just another little challenge in the incredible @WaspsRugby @premrugby campaign ????https://t.co/wbPUbKQRiV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 18, 2020
England’s fifth-place finish in the recent Guinness Six Nations ignited criticism of their attack and it was suggested last Sunday that Gleeson, who came to Wasps in 2019 from rugby league, was potentially being lined by Jones to replace Simon Amor, who came in post-World Cup from England 7s.
“Look, I am aware of those,” said Blackett in relation to the speculation surrounding his assistants. “In terms of Martin with England, England haven’t approached us so that would be pure speculation at this moment in time. He is under contract and you would think if England want him they would have approached us. We have had no approach from the RFU in terms of Martin.
“In terms of Matt, he is under a long contract. We have done a lot with Matt and I can quite easily say I would be gobsmacked if he is going anywhere. We have got long-term plans for him. It’s pure speculation on that one. He played for the club, left two years before I joined. He has come back as a coach having played for Nottingham, has worked in the academy for a couple of years and I have got a really good relationship with Matt.
“The players really like him. He has got that great relationship with the players and he gets the best out of them in terms of those skills, in terms of those roles he has been doing, our pick-and-go game, a lot of our tight game, some of our plays off nine.
“He has done a pretty good job in terms of what he has done there and the boys really like him – we know his future and where he will go and the role he will take in the future with the club. You would like to think he is fully on this journey with us. He laughed it off when I mentioned the rumour to him.”
As regards Munster target Costello, Blackett added: “I’ll know a lot more in the next 48 hours. With Ian, we know his family situation and he has been very open with the club. Realistically, he is going to go back sometime within the next year-and-a-half so I’ll know a lot more when that is, probably in the next 48 hours.”
With 190 penalties conceded in this season's Premiership, the worst count in the league, pressure is mounting at Wasps after seven losses in their last nine games #WASvASM #HeinekenChampionsCuphttps://t.co/7yD0sTWzg3
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 3, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
39 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
39 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
39 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
39 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
39 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
39 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
39 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments