GREGOR’S GRAND SLAM DUNK
Townsend learns from the best to boost Scots hopes
WHEN you are wanting to get ahead in rugby there is really only one place to look for inspiration. That’s right, basketball...
Before you wonder what method of madness has taken over, it is worth holding fire before rushing to judgment.
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has always been a coaching magpie. His thirst for knowledge has taken him as far as the Nou Camp to pilfer the best bits from the Barcelona blueprint. Now, in his new role with the national team, he continues to spread his net wide.
Townsend has asked his backroom staff to compile reports on two of America’s biggest sporting success stories to see what can be learned. He has requested the studies after returning from two high-powered conferences for sporting and business leaders in Chicago and New York.
The Golden State Warriors, the professional basketball team based in California, is one of the sporting franchises he has put under the spotlight. The New England Patriots, the famous American football team, are the other.
The Warriors are the current NBA champions, the Patriots one of the most successful American football teams in history. Townsend has asked his assistants to take a look at comments made by the coaching staff of both teams over the season to gauge what they can learn in terms of leadership. He also wants to know what made the respective teams such a success.
‘Gregor wants us to get better as coaches so he’s got us doing little tasks,’ said Scotland defence coach Matt Taylor. ‘He has us looking at the best teams in the world from different sports. For me, that’s really exciting and we present our findings back to the other coaches and it’s a good learning environment. The other day, Dan McFarland (Scotland attack coach) had a good look at the Golden State Warriors. I did the New England Patriots and had a look at what they do well.
‘You take bits and pieces. It might not be rugby specific but you look at the overall culture. Some things we keep to ourselves as coaches and might drip feed into the squad.
‘Sometimes Gregor will say to the players this is what this team is doing and why we think it’s good. Mainly it’s best practice of coaching and general culture we might bring in from the teams we are analysing.
‘We are looking elsewhere all the time and might be going to a conference in South Africa in a couple of weeks and Gregor has been to New York and Chicago for a conference. I’m sure Gregor will have some contacts and other people he will want to meet, too.’
It is the study of the Golden State Warriors that appears to have had the biggest impact on the Scotland coaches. It is the ‘joy’ and togetherness the American basketball team boast about which has impressed the Scotland coaching staff.
‘One of the cultural things Dan found out that they (Golden State Warriors) talked about was joy and feeling good about themselves and celebrating time together,’ said Taylor. ‘We try to have fun things in Scotland meetings. Mike Blair (assistant head coach) brings up challenges, quizzes and things like that. Starting team meetings like that gets everyone in a good mood.’
Taylor has more time to study other sporting clubs from around the world after stepping down from his dual role of defence coach of Glasgow Warriors and Scotland which he held for five years up until last summer. Now he is solely involved with the national side.
‘The difference before for me was that I was always focused on the next game with Glasgow then the next game with Scotland,’ he said. ‘Now, this week when the Scotland players go home, we’ll have more time to sit down and examine and plan for our matches against Samoa, New Zealand and Australia in November.
‘As well as looking at Golden State and the Patriots this week we’re going to look at the All Blacks.
‘Also if Munster, for example, are doing something really well we’ll look at them, too, make notes and bring what we find back into the group.’