‘I have a certain idea how I want my team to look and my coaching style to be’

FORMER TIGERS, ENGLAND AND LION LOCK GEOFF PARLING HAS A NEW JOB COACHING AUSTRALIA’S FORWARDS – BOBBY BRIDGE HEARS HOW HE GOT THERE AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

GEOFF Parling’s rise in the coaching world to the international ranks, on the face of it, appears to be a rapid ascent. Less than two years after hanging up his playing boots, the 36-yearold finds himself preparing an Australian pack of forwards to face the All Blacks next month.

Upon his playing retirement in November 2018, he transitioned seamlessly into the coaching setup at Melbourne Rebels and into the next stage of his rugby career.

Then came the call from Dave Rennie to join his Australia coaching team heading into the revised Rugby Championship, which is due to kick off on November 7 at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.

Five years after being dumped out of the Rugby World Cup on home soil by Australia, the former Leicester Tiger and Exeter Chief has a Wallaby on his chest.

“I’m really proud,” he said. “When Dave gave me the call I jumped at it.

“I am pretty honoured to be sitting here and I want to try to make the most of it and help these lads as much as I can.”

Parling did not wait for one chapter to end before starting another from scratch, far from it.

His coaching journey began long before he even earned the first of 29 England caps, in 2012.

Born in Stockton-on-Tees, he cut his teeth with a whistle while still a young Newcastle Falcons player working with students, and would later undertake a similar role during his six successful years in Leicestershire.

Parling also juggled becoming a Premiership title winner with Exeter Chiefs alongside helping out at grassroots level with Taunton Titans.

But the true acid test of his credentials to influence others came when he packed his bags and headed to Munakata Sanix Blues in 2017.

“I have always coached everywhere I have been,” said Parling, who featured in all three Tests for the British and Irish Lions during their victorious tour of Australia in 2013.

“Every club I have been at, I have coached local teams. In the professional teams I have been in I have probably always assisted with the lineouts.

“When I went to Japan I was a player-coach there as well. Trust me, when it’s your first gig as a player-coach, you are in Japan and you can’t speak the same language as the players, then that’s a good learning experience.

“I have always enjoyed it. Whenever I was injured I would do my coaching badges, right back to when I was at Newcastle doing stuff with Newcastle Uni almost 15 years ago.”

Referring to his time at Tigers, he said: “I think I did the uni once. I think I went up to Welbeck College once a week – Kyle Jess would love it if you print his name!”

PARLING is the latest young Englishman to land a big rugby job. Back in his homeland, George Skivington and Lee Blackett have landed the top positions at Gloucester and Wasps respectively.

Like both of those individuals, Parling was certain of where his future lay once calling time on his playing career.

“Some players will take a big interest in coaching and will be very receptive at picking things up from a young age,” he said.

“Ten years ago I started compiling a log on my laptop of good things coaches had done or drills I liked.

“I was getting in touch with other guys as well.

“Or you can play your whole career where you just want to play and you don’t take notice. It depends on what type of person you are.”

Speaking via Zoom from the Australia camp, Parling spoke with confidence and excitement.

The 12-hour time difference brings with it a daily dose of morning goodwill messages from back home.

The message he had regarding his own approach to coaching was simple. Parling has been nurtured, shaped and steered by some of the most successful figures in his field, but he is inextricably his own man. “I have my own way of doing things,” he said. “I would not say you pick things up from other coaches, it is either coaches confirm what you believe in or give a little twist to what you believe in.

“I definitely have a certain idea of how I want my team to look and my coaching style to be.

“I love learning and going to different environments, whether it was the hard-nosed bit at Leicester or development roles like Peter Walton at Newcastle.

“The main thing you pick up on is how someone made you feel as a coach and how they were as a person. It’s just the simple things. I do a feel a lot of coaching is common sense.

“As a player you just want honesty. Even if you like what you hear at first, in the long term you always appreciate honesty.”

While the Australia squad does have some deep roots within, including 99-times-capped captain Michael Hooper – an opponent of Parling’s in his penultimate Test appearance – this is a transitional, testing time for Australian rugby.

Their last outing was the 40-16 World Cup quarter-final thumping by England last October – the last game of Michael Cheika’s six-year reign as head coach.

Bookmakers have placed odds as short as 1/14 for New Zealand to win the Bledisloe Cup, awarded to the All Blacks or Australia based on who comes out on top in their annual head-to-head clashes.

But the Wallabies have the benefit of home advantage for the entirety of the revised tournament and Parling’s hopes are high for his adopted country.

“I have big expectations of the group here,” he said.

“I appreciate it is not a normal Rugby Championship. We have been in isolation for a few days for these Bledisloe games so we can’t leave the hotel.

“Everyone is just desperate to play. These games we are about to play in are the first international matches since the Six Nations finished.

“We can’t wait to rip in. Guys are desperate to have a crack.”