Charteris learns from NZ coaches
Steffan Thomas talks to Luke Charteris about his quest to become a top coach
LUKE Charteris hopes picking the brains of Wales’ coaching gurus and his summer spent in the southern hemisphere can help him guide Bath to Premiership glory.
After 18 years of playing professional rugby, the 74-cap former Wales international decided to call time at the end of last season.
Charteris completed his level three coaching badges this summer having worked at Bath University and has been appointed forwards guru to director of rugby Stuart Hooper at the Rec.
The towering ex lock – who won two Grand Slams – insists his fact-finding journey in the last two months will prove hugely beneficial to both him and Bath this season. “In the summer I got the chance to go down to South Africa and I spent some time with the Lions,” said the 36-year-old.
“It was an amazing experience to see how a successful Super Rugby side prepares for games. They were very welcoming and generous in allowing me to come in and learn.
“I then went down to Cape Town and met up with the Crusaders who were playing the Sharks at the time. It was great to see how other environments and teams work.
“There are obviously some quality coaches and players at all those teams and it was great to see how they operate. I spent a lot of time with the coaches there and I picked up a lot of ideas.
“It was a really valuable exercise. I also sat down with Robin McBryde and had a three-hour chat once I decided I wanted to go into coaching.
“He was brilliant in terms of giving me advice and chatting through things. As a coach I learn a lot from him and hopefully I can be as successful at Bath.
“My main focus as a coach at Bath will be the line-out in both attack and defence. I will also be getting involved in general team play especially in terms of defence. It’s just good to get
involved and to try and help out in different areas.”
Despite possessing one of the most talented squads in England, Bath haven’t lifted a trophy since winning the European Challenge Cup 11 years ago. Charteris hopes that can soon change.
He said: “We want to win the Premiership. That’s our goal.
“It was really important to us at the end of last year to qualify for the Champions Cup. There is no point busting a gut to do that and then not attacking it with force.
“We’ve got a tough group, but we’ll go as hard as we can to get out of our Pool. We’ve certainly got the players to challenge in that competition and at the very least make the knockout stages.
“I don’t think the current playing group are aware it’s been so long since Bath won silverware, but every year is an opportunity.
“The pressure this season is to win something and that’s what we want to do. We will be preparing the boys as much as we can to make sure we’re in a place to do that.”
As a player Charteris was part of successful Wales sides and he figured heavily in the team which made the World Cup semi-finals in 2011.
He hasn’t ruled out returning to coach in Wales in the future, but is confident Welsh rugby will see more home grown coaches make the grade in the near future.
Charteris said: “I’d definitely consider going back to coach in Wales at some point in my career. I even looked at it this time around.
“But I’m happy at Bath for now and I’m excited for the season to start. You’d hope to see more Welsh coaches. “Stephen Jones (below far left) has obviously done a good job at the Scarlets, there is Dwayne Peel (below centre) at Ulster, and Jonathan Thomas (below right) seems to be doing well at Bristol. A lot of the Welsh guys I’ve played with have gone into coaching and have done really well. “Hopefully you’ll see more Welsh coaches get opportunities and go into head coaching roles and the process will then keep filtering down.”
“My main focus as a coach at Bath will be the lineout in both attack and defence”