Los Lelos bolster coaching team for Cup run

FORMER Gloucester director of rugby David Humphreys will take on a high performance consultant role with Georgia for the Autumn Nations Cup.

Georgia will face Ireland, England and Wales in Group A for the inaugural tournament in November and December.

Ex-Ulster head coach Neil Doak will become Georgia’s backs and attack coach, while former French international hooker Sebastian Bruno will take on the role of forwards coach – a position he held with Les Bleus at last year’s World Cup.

Humphreys believes his knowledge of opposition sides can help give Georgia an edge.

He said: “Given that Georgia sit outside the top 10-ranked teams in world rugby, it was always going to be a challenge to get them prepared for playing some of the best teams in the world.

“Myself and Neil were asked if we could try and support Georgia by giving them a bit of an insight into the teams we’ll be facing.”

Humphreys, who left his position at Gloucester in June, said Doak’s abilities as a coach will be a major asset.

“Neil has proved his ability as a coach, to turn a team around and to implement an attacking game, which is what Georgia need,” said Humphreys.

“They have a good setpiece, what they need to find for this competition is a little bit of an edge to their attack.

“That is what Neil has done for many years and I have no doubt the Georgian players will enjoy the different approach that he brings to coaching.

“It is not about changing everything, it is about finetuning two or three different areas that will give us a bit of an edge.

“Primarily, my role is to come in and support the Georgian coaching team that is already in place.

“Georgia have huge ambitions to progress beyond where they are in terms of being a tier 2 nation. They would love, at some stage, to join an increased Six Nations.

“There is a huge amount of latent interest in rugby in Georgia. A number of Georgian players are starting to establish themselves in the top French teams and that experience will benefit them when they come into international rugby.”