I learned a lot off Rennie... he will be a big success at Glasgow SAYS LEO CULLEN
WHEN Irish rugby legend Leo Cullen was coming to the end of his playing career and wanted to learn about coaching, he flew to New Zealand and talked to a man he considered one of the best in the world. His name was Dave Rennie.
Now established as head coach at Leinster, Cullen takes his team to Scotstoun on Saturday to face a Glasgow Warriors side led by the Kiwi he once idolised from afar.
They may technically be equals nowadays but the big Irishman admits that, when he went to watch Rennie take training at the Waikato Chiefs in Hamilton three years ago, he was learning at the feet of a master.
SRU STAY QUIET ON ANY WORCESTER INTEREST
SCOTTISH Rugby chiefs were remaining tight-lipped last night over a possible investment in English Premiership club Worcester Warriors. The league’s basement side have been put up for sale by owner Greg Allan after loses of over £16million in the last three years. He is desperately looking for new investment or a buyer, with suggestions being the SRU were an interested party. It is believed the club could be bought over for around £10m. Although the SRU are refusing to comment, it is known they are trying to invest in clubs in the northern hemisphere.
Now they are locking horns as rivals for the first time in what is shaping up as a must-win Champions Cup clash for the Scottish side.
‘I owe a lot to Dave Rennie for the help he gave me,’ said Cullen, who won 32 caps and led Leinster to their three European Cup triumphs.
‘It was a great experience for me to meet him before I went into coaching as he taught me a lot. He was someone I actively sought out for advice and went to New Zealand to watch and talk to. Getting the chance to meet him was set up by Matt O’Connor, who was Leinster head coach in my final year as a player. I went there during the Six Nations window when I had a bit of time to travel to New Zealand.
‘I really wanted to go there because the Chiefs under Dave Rennie were a team I had admired from a very far distance. I wanted to see their set-up, the ethos of their team, their culture and what they were doing in coaching terms. I was also keen to talk to his assistant coaches Wayne Smith and Tom Coventry.
‘Some clubs are very open with information and the Chiefs and Dave Rennie were unbelievably good. For Glasgow to get him as their head coach was an amazing acquisition. He is a great coach and a good man as well.’
Although an admirer of Rennie’s predecessor Gregor Townsend, Cullen believes the New Zealander has taken the Warriors up another level.
However, they lost to Exeter Chiefs in their opening Champions Cup match last Saturday while Leinster beat Montpellier in Dublin.
Glasgow really need to overcome Cullen’s visitors this weekend if they are to maintain their hopes of reaching the knock-out stage. And Cullen is only too aware his team are in for a tough encounter at Scotstoun.
‘Dave has made changes around the ruck and they are more aggressive around the clean-out,’ said the former second row. ‘The way their backs work off the ball is impressive to watch. Even their set-piece is impressive and they have a very strong driving game.
‘Regarding all the fundamentals of the game, they look like they’re putting plenty of work in. Certainly in terms of coaches and staff, Glasgow are probably better resourced than most teams out there.’
The 39-year-old former lock forward is old enough to have played against Glasgow at Hughenden and Firhill as well as their now permanent home at Scotstoun.
‘You have to have good facilities if people are going to come and support the team,’ he said. ‘Then it’s about getting a team that people want to watch and Glasgow have achieved that.
‘Glasgow is a soccer city traditionally, so you need to be able to turn the heads of the supporters to get them through the gates. Glasgow Warriors have done that incredibly well.’
Cullen knows that any side could yet emerge victorious from a pool which Brian O’Driscoll dubbed ‘the group of death’.
He said: ‘Leinster got to the summit when we won in Europe and then people tried to knock us off. Exeter are a team who have built gradually, although Montpellier have grown quicker, almost overnight. Some of the players Montpellier have recruited is incredible and they’re shopping in a different aisle to ourselves and Glasgow.’