the article says that Lancaster will do that himself, and that the coaching ticket is complete now.
I'd prefer if they actually got someone in to help with that all the same. Even if Lancaster lead it, just to have someone to take some of the weight from him
Well done to Connacht and IRFU on a brilliant appointment. Can't think of anyone better to bring Connacht on the next part of their journey.
Cheer up mate!! Life's too short.
Payne is a an excellent technical coach…
IMHO, I think it better to separate the two roles distinctly.
Technical coaches develop an aspect of the game and are very hands on.. They interact with the player sand want to create better players and more cohesive unit.
Head coach (or Managers) doesn't taking training sessions (Andy Friend didn't take any) but manages the Technical Coaches and man manages the players (from escalation point of view). He picks the overall team and has that separation from the team to be more objective. This job is way more stressful.
Being a good Technical Coach doesn't mean you would be a good Manager.. and visa versa… Both involve a deep knowledge of rugby but skills needed are different. It is also coming more apparent that some good Technical Coaches aren't as inclined to become Managers as quick as before… While better paid, stress is way higher, you shelf life is reduced and your options especially regionally can be severely reduced… You can very quickly be in a one bedroom flat in Japan very quickly…
Look at Felix Jones, Nigel Carolan, Jarad Payne, Mike Prendergast… They have options, each of them they are considered top class operators who can add to almost any professional outfit in Europe…
Fantastic appointment. Can't remember being this happy with Connacht news in a long time
One thing I like about Stuart's appointment, he has an ethos in rugby which Connacht respect and love… He believes in community..
Great great news
Decent chance his son, Dan, joins too I guess?
He’s apparently leaving Racing, saw some article linking him with Glasgow recently and Nigel Carolan saying while he (Nigel) wasn’t involved with recruitment he would be a great acquisition.
He started against Connacht in Challenge Cup, Owen Farrell came on after 47 minutes. I don’t remember anything good/bad standing out about him.
Delighted with that news. I said yesterday I had no faith in those making the appointment but they've proved me wrong in a massive way. They have shown with this appointment that we do mean business.
We needed something big to get the public onside after the messing around of the last couple of years and this is a huge step in bringing a feel good factor back to Connacht.
Its important not to underestimate the task ahead but this is a huge first step and it's a vote of confidence in Connacht by both Lancaster and the IRFU that there is potential there given the right structures.
GGreat appointment for Connacht.I might even get a season ticket again.
no, Dans going to Glasgow.
Connacht have Ioane and Carty as full time senior 10s next season, Gilbert is an option at 10, plus Noughton in the academy with H West being a possible option there as well.
That's brilliant news for Connacht, great shot in the arm for the province as they're about to open a new stadium.
Yeah I was thinking that Carolan wouldn’t comment at all unless he was pretty sure that he was joining Glasgow but thought there might be a possibility the deal wasn’t finalised.
a few days ago rugbypass were reporting the deal was done. thats why i was going by.
Ok I'm ready for the season to start now! A Director of Performance, a kicking 15, a new attack coach and an experienced head coach, we have the resources in place to make 8th next season if the injury gods shine on us.
A few days ago they said Payne was going to be the new Connacht coach 😁
I've convinced myself that Stuart taking on the defense coach role as well as head coach is a good thing - I've heard many times over the years that Lancaster is at his best when he's on the training ground, with hands on involvement in coaching - leading the defense will mean he is doing that here. Whether the head coach stuff on top is too much remains to be seen, but surely Millard will take some of the burden there?
Well done lads, he had a brilliant ethos, if he's given the freedom to bring it, then there will be good days ahead.
As Ronnie said you'll probably see Millard take on a few of the responsibilities that Wilkins had to free up Lancaster to do more hands on coaching.
Think this is an incredible appointment, must have filled him full of porter and put the contract in front of him lol!
As someone said he's had a chequered history as a head coach so making sure he stays on the training paddock is important. Renowned as someone who sets standards for players and staff a like so a really, really excellent appointment!
Finally excited about next season now!
I've been critical of Willie Ruane here in recent weeks, but fair play to them this is a wonderful appointment. Appointing Lancaster is a serious statement of intent. Well done all.
I mean Gilbert and West are full backs, and I would argue that Ioane might also be a better off as a full back. If you wanna play Ioane at 10 you need a kicker elsewhere, which Gilbert can do but it limits the team selection somewhat.
Carty played about 8 games last year and unfortunately has looked a bit terrible for the last few seasons. (Maybe the new coaching ticket could bring a revival!)
Noughton is 21 and has 21 minutes of senior gametime.
If we're serious about doing anything this year I would definitely be trying to get another body in there that plays 10 as their primary position.
Getting Lancaster is the greatest coup in Connacht history.
IRFU deservedly got allot of stick for not supporting them enough.
Amazing appointment
Tempted to get a season ticket myself now!
From a very envious Leinster season ticket holder.
To rephrase DO'C analogy after Scarlets. Leinster - 'Like having Ferraris and using them to spread slurry'.
https://all.rugby/transfers/glasgow
Dan is gone to Glasgow..
Well that could be the way but it puts a lot of work on Lancaster being hands on coach, manager of the other coaches, shoulder to cry on, Media guy and every other role as well…
This what sunk Pete more than anything… Now he didn't see that it is hard to be captain from the engine room…
Millard doesn't pick the team so while he can be a great help mediation between coaches… As soon as you make the Head Coach (Manager) there is an imbalance with the other cioaching areas (e.g. if you get defence right you are on the team and other coaches have less of a say)…
Another benefit of getting Lancaster is that he should be there for the preseason, he's literally ready to go straight away.
In fairness to Carty, he likes to play on the edge and to do that you have to know where players are… Good luck with that in the last 2 years… Throwing a no look pass to empty space looks awful on TV… Throwing a simple pass to which is read easily is looks a lot better but yoou won't score tries..
Anyone know the exact breakdown of roles for all coaches?
Lancaster - Head Coach & Defence coach.
Rod Seib - Attack coach.
Cullie Tucker - Scrum & Contact coach.
John Muldoon - Lineout & Maul coach.
? - Skills
? - Kicking
? - S&C
? - Psychologist
? - "Senior Coach"!!!
https://www.the42.ie/stuart-lancaster-leinster-8-6036025-Apr2023/
“I don’t get wrapped up in the demographics of Ireland,” said Lancaster. “The thing that concerns me the most is making sure we’ve got an unbelievable development system, an unbelievable connection between the development programme and the academy and the senior team and making sure the senior team is coached as well as they can be coached.
“When push comes to shove, I still think quality coaching trumps everything and I think we’re very lucky here in that we’ve got a great group of coaches who are all diverse, have all come from different countries, have all brought our own piece, and Leo [Cullen] marshals the whole thing unbelievably well in terms of rotating the team, giving lads opportunities. So it’s not to do, for me, with demographics. It’s to do with coaching and we’ve worked hard to develop the players, the players have improved, anyone really."
I think this is a phenomenonal appointment for Connacht. I think he is a really detail and culture orientated coach.....who even made England a humble and likeable team (albeit temporary).
Really excited for ye now.
Funny thing is I would have preferred Payne by a country mile. Lancaster is a proven disaster but for some reason folks are happy with this. I suppose it will end Ruanes tenure which is a positive. But amazingly most posters are happy with this shite. Fluck sake. I am gobsmacked
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