Yesterday evening I joined an old friend for dinner, a time for several hours of intensive, uninterrupted, World Cup-inspired rugby.
Welsh-born, he is presently coaching an American college side, and cheerfully admits his dream job would be to lead Wales. Should lightning strike, top priority would be defeating New Zealand, he says fervently.
Most every Taffe instinctively knows the pinnacle achievement of the principality's national sport.
It's well and good that such men are part of the US game, for aligned to his sense of pride and history are plainly measurable standards of success and failure, the kind that are commonplace in our 'mainstream' sports. Gareth Jenkins lost his job this week, as did Graham Henry. When the objective is unfulfilled, the consequences can be no surprise.
USA Rugby recently opened its search for the next national team coach, and the right man for the job may be native-born, chief executive Nigel Melville's stated preference, or he may be foreign-born. Either way, I hope he will have the same innate sense of purpose as my mate: the first job of the American coach is to beat Canada.
Emil Signes for coach! I'll be his agent...:)
Posted by: Old Boy | 11 October 2007 at 11:19
Graham Henry I'm sure could be convinced with a tour to Napa Valley wine country....
Posted by: Ray Schwartz | 12 October 2007 at 14:46
If anyone knows how to beat Canada it would be the Canadian coach.
Posted by: John Wayne | 12 October 2007 at 15:50
I would be extremely disappointed if USA Rugby entertained the idea of Hiring ole' Sluggo to coach the National Team.
That would be a step in the WRONG direction. Might as well hire Matt Brown as a forwards coach!!
Go Oxy Old Boys!!!!
Posted by: Davie | 12 October 2007 at 22:59
Davie, he sures knows how to put together a plan to beat USA by 50 !!
Posted by: John Wayne | 14 October 2007 at 12:09
Chuck Norris says - the coach has already been decided. This is corporate politics, looking for resumes, blah, blah - all bullshite.
It will not be a Yank.
Now, Nigel and Kevin, get going and bring the RWC to the USA for 2015.
Syd Millar is hopefully the end of the iRB "Old Guard" - and rugby needs to be on the biggest damn market stage in the world - the United States of America - the best damn country ever!
Bring 2015 to the USA!
And GO BOKKE!
Posted by: Chuck Norris | 14 October 2007 at 14:28
Chuck Norris says - watch the Canadian Rugby Team become, well, more Commonwealth over the next few years.
South African rugby is poised to become politically correct after the RWC. No more promotion to the national team ranks based on merit - skin color will be foremost.
You will see lots of really good white rugby players take advantage of their Commonwealth status heading to Canada (and Oz and NZ and the UK if they can).
I am sure there are readers from SA that know how to get to the USA. We should look to SA to help bolster our Eagle ranks - why not?
Posted by: Chuck Norris | 14 October 2007 at 19:53
Native born – who does he think he’s kidding. If there was a native born coach, that was worth anything – he’d be coaching in a top level professional operation today. But we don’t – so the point is mute. There is no one in the USA today or native born, that is anywhere near the professional level we require from a national coach.
Any American based coach, would be a moron to take on this position today.
Posted by: GungaDin | 15 October 2007 at 14:10
ha ha ha ha
"so the point is mute"
that made me raff!
Posted by: typical | 16 October 2007 at 04:55
mute? Open the door, I GungaDin
Posted by: Cheyanquí | 16 October 2007 at 10:15
I've always been surprized that foreign national sides come to the US to take advantage of certain expertise of which American pro sports organizations are chock full, for instance, the Pumas training in Flordia, Graham Henry & co. chat with the Yankees & Giants about how to help their players deal with pressure. I'm sure there are others. I am not in a position to know, but I get the impression that USA Rugby is cut off from such networking - as if there is no bridge between other elite sports organizations and American rugby. Yet there is so much expertise that is homegrown but yet US rugby is so estranged from it.
*chuckles at phonetic spelling above^^^^*
Posted by: Old Boy | 16 October 2007 at 13:37
OLd Boy, USA Rugby doesn't need cross over expertese frum udder sports as much as it needs hi qualitee rugby specific networken.
Geting the ALL BLACKS staff coaches to the first WC camp in San Diego was hughj.
Thorburn's connections brought them here. Evan betta was the camp was open not just for the Eagles but for all the club coaches as well, that could get to San Diego.
Lets hope that the next coach regardless of where they come from, can draw on similar connections bringing rugby spacifick expertese too a wiyed rainj of American coaches.
Posted by: speelin it reel | 16 October 2007 at 22:19
*chuckles again* ^^
Posted by: Old Boy | 17 October 2007 at 12:39
3:08 AM
http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/News/Article.aspx?id=598414
From this morning's South African papers - mentions USA Rugby and Jake White
Posted by: Rafael Zahralddin | 28 October 2007 at 08:52