Kennedy’s blueprint clinched it for Robson
GEORGE Robson is backing London Irish’s new young coaching team to succeed in guiding the club back into the Premiership at the first attempt.
Having fired Kiwi Tom Coventry, the Exiles have placed their faith in 33-yearold director of rugby Nick Kennedy to deliver success, along with fellow former players Paul Hodgson (34), George Skivington (33) and Declan Danaher (36).
Kennedy’s appointment is viewed as risky by some, but combative lock forward Robson told The Rugby Paper:“I don’t see it like that; for Kendo it’s a great role to take up.
“I don’t want to sound like a player who’s kissing the backside of the guy in charge, but ultimately he’s a smart bloke who’s played in a Toulon team that won a Heineken Cup.
“He knows what it takes to be successful from that side of things, but Kendo’s also an intelligent man and a good communicator. With Brendan Venter overseeing what’s going on as technical director, what better way is there for him to start out?”
Robson, who experienced playing alongside Kennedy in the 2013-14 season at Harlequins added:“Kendo’s not a dictator-type leader, he uses the people around him and as a playing group everything’s been put in place for us.
“It’s been bloody hard work so far and we’ve been challenged, but it’s been interesting and exciting and as a player you’re happy to commit to it.
“Declan Danaher, George Skivington and Paul Hodgson all played for this club and have a clear idea about what they’re doing here. They want us to have the most dominant defence, a really strong set-piece and be massively disciplined.
“That’s been music to my ears really and the pull for me coming here is being able to work in an environment that’s positive, with people who are driven. If I look at our group of coaches and players, that’s what we have.”
Robson, who spent a decade in the Harlequins first team before moving to French club Oyonnax last summer, admits joining his old London club’s fiercest rivals was something he never imagined, but it is a challenge he wants to embrace.
His close connections with Harlequins mean he is equally keen to banish any misplaced perceptions that he is some kind of Champagne-swilling fancy Dan accustomed to donning a smoking jacket and driving to training in a Bentley.
Robson explained: “I’m certainly not that, I’m here to work hard. I’ll be honest, Irish wouldn’t have thought about signing me a year ago and vice-versa, but now that it has happened I’ve been really impressed with the set-up here.
“I’m obviously not ‘Mr London Irish’ but if I put in performances on the pitch and keep my head down, hopefully people at Irish will accept that I’m actually all right and I’ll earn the respect of my colleagues and our supporters.”
Robson, 30, cut his teeth in the Championship, then known as National One, when Harlequins were relegated in 2005. He also spent time in the second tier with London Welsh and Esher, so appreciates the battle ahead.
“My age group at Quins all got blooded during that season in National One,” Robson said. “Guys like Jordan Turner-Hall, myself, Chris Robshaw and Mike Brown were in there and I also got some game time with Welsh and Esher.
“I’ve got a good idea what the competition is all about and we’re there to be shot at. I totally understand that and there’ll be a perception that we think it’s going to be easy, but I know our group now and that’s not the case.
“Nobody’s thinking it’s going to be easy at all, it’ll be tough and there’ll be away games where it’s not all about who’s got the fanciest skill-set, but about who wants to work hardest and put it in when things are going against us.
“What I see is a group of players who do want to put it in and we’ve set ourselves the target of coming straight back up.”
Robson’s season in France did not go as planned and Oyonnax were relegated, but he is relishing the chance to lead an Irish renaissance. He added: “Having a year in France was a big change for me, but I had an unbelievable experience with my wife and we loved living there.
“But the rugby side got a bit complicated with changes off the field and, following relegation, I had this opportunity to come back to the UK.
“It’s great to be with a bunch of guys who are committed to getting this club back to where it belongs and it’s like a new lease of life.”