I COULD LEARN SCRUM-THING
Dubs star taking all advice he can get in time off
JONNY COOPER has embarked on a close season circuit of elite sporting environments as he seeks to round himself as a footballer ever further.
The Dublin defender has already hooked up with the Leinster and Saracens rugby squads, who have won the last three European Champions Cups between them, and hopes to touch base with high achieving boxers and athletes as well as people of a corporate and business background.
Just last week he travelled to London to spend time with Saracens having made friends with someone from the club at a conference 12 months ago. “They’re very open in terms of what they’re willing to share,” he explains. “But equally also a very good set-up in terms of what I learned for those couple of days.
“Yeah, just try and do those things and get a bit of value in a personal sense in the off-season, as opposed to just gym or running.”
The obvious difference between Dublin’s set up and that of the Premiership outfit is the latter’s full-time professional status, though Cooper said there was much they had in common.
“We’re actually not that different from professional athletes in a sense of [there’s] a lot of the same components in terms of analysis and technical skills.
“It’s a different game but it’s similar now in terms of what they’re trying to do compared to what we’re trying to do. They have a little bit more time in terms of being with each other a lot more so they can spread things over a longer period of time.
“They’re very driven, especially the Vunipolas, and Owen Farrell in particular.
“I got to speak with him for over two hours it must have been. He was so open in that regard.
“Owen’s Dad [Andy] coaches for Ireland but also his younger brother plays for Clan na ngael in Dublin, as it turns out. So he kind of knew a bit about Gaelic football so he was interested about some of the things we do. Little nuggets of conversations that I guess we picked up. More about leadership and how to carry ourselves.”
The openness of the Saracens camp is in stark contrast to intercounty squads, not least Dublin’s.
“Their opinion was that their openness was because the more people who can come in or the more people that have an opinion or a critique, the more they can get different angles or perspectives.
“And I guess that’s really, really true. Why is GAA not like that? I don’t know.
“It’s probably traditionally always been quite guarded. It’s probably cultural.”
The 28-year-old has just started a masters in organisational behaviour and admits that it all feeds into him likely veering his life in a different direction in the coming years.
“I have aspirations to do other things. Potentially some other things in mind in terms of working with people and possibly around performance in that area.
“I’m trying to just develop myself concurrently and hopefully play for Dublin as long as I can.”
I got to speak to Owen Farrell for over two hours. He was so open in that regard..