NEAL Hatley’s appointment as Bath head coach was a surprise to some, but not others. Having come back from the 2019 World Cup as England scrum coach, and rejoined the club with the title of defence and forwards coach, he has won the big promotion.
I’m pleased for him that he has been given the chance to make his mark at a club with a great tradition in the past of winning. Hatley’s remit as Bath head coach is to get the team winning again. His experience with England, and what he has learned from Eddie Jones, is important, but he has also made it clear that he recognises that need to find his “own way” as a head coach.
Hatley described his head coach role as focusing on “delivering great performances on the pitch”. However, I always feel that the hardest job for a head coach is picking the team, and it is not clear yet whether Bath’s director of rugby, Stuart Hooper, has handed over the responsibility of head selector to Hatley.
The titles of director of rugby and head coach can be quite difficult to decipher. It looks as if Hooper is heading up the rugby department, organising everything around what supports getting the Bath team playing at its best, and Hatley is responsible for the on-field performance.
Hooper will apparently be at most training sessions and will set the culture. Integral to that will be the team he manages – all the heads of the different rugby departments – who will instill that with the help of the playing leadership group. It will be a challenge, but normally, you see a lift in performance when a new coach comes in. Bath had been talking about putting this structure in place for some time, and it’s obviously been given the go-ahead during the lockdown period.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 16, 2020-Ausgabe von The Rugby Paper.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 16, 2020-Ausgabe von The Rugby Paper.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.
