Coaching philosophies to meet come The Clash
As Bath Rugby and Bristol Bears look forward to The Clash at Twickenham on April 6 we sat down with the clubs’ directors of rugby, Todd Blackadder and Pat Lam, and Bristol Post rugby writer Jon Evely to chat about their rugby past, present and future for
For two men who captained their countries as fearsome forwards, the first time Todd Blackadder and Pat Lam played together may come as a surprise.
“It was the 7s we first met,” says Lam as he racks his brain for that moment in time.
“The New Zealand World Cup team in 1993 [the first ever 7s World Cup]. I tell you, when you say ‘Todd Blackadder’ and ‘7s’ it doesn’t come naturally.
“But I remember at the nationals he was playing for Canterbury and he chased everything.
“There’s a golden rule. When someone breaks and you’re not going to get him you just stop and save your energy, but this guy kept going all the way.
“He never gave up. He was just a machine. He made the New Zea land 7s mainly on that.”
Todd – a second-row who went on to captain the All Blacks in the 15-a-side game – is still surprised he first represented his country in the shorter version of the game.
“-I came in as an injury replace ment for Mark Ellis [a multi-skilled back]. A similar skillset,” the Bath Rugby director of rugby jokes as he reminisces with his old pal at the Thatchers-owned Railway Inn, Sandford.
“I just came into that team and ended up going to the World Cup. I remember that first training session I thought I was going to die. It was brutal.”
The team travelled halfway around the globe to compete at Murrayfield, Edinburgh, in a tournament eventually won by Eng land.
“Everyone could play it back then,” explains Pat, who captained- Samoa in 15s. “It wasn’t a different sport and there were a lot of good players out there.
“At that stage rugby was still in the amateur days and it wasn’t until i-t went professional that the experi ence of being in the UK opened up a lot of opportunity for us.”
Todd adds: “You got a different perspective and to see the other side of the world certainly opened my eyes up.”
Pat and Todd’s paths crossed again in 1996 when they were both drafted for Canterbury Crusaders. T-he franchise that went on to dom inate Super Rugby was by no means the finished article back then.
B-oth men agree that was a “terri ble” year – they finished rock bottom of the inaugural Super 12 table –- but it helped shape them as play ers, leaders and later coaches.
“We learned from our mistakes and it really changed the whole cul ture to what the Crusaders stand for now,” says Todd.
Both ended their very successful playing careers in the UK – Todd at Edinburgh and Pat at Newcastle Falcons. The natural leaders were both fast-tracked into coaching and worked as assistants with Scotland before even taking charge of a club.
Todd adds: “You get to the end of your career, it’s been a big part of y-our life and you do make a deci sion on whether you think you’ve got a coaching future or not, but it usually just starts with titbits. Tak- ing on a little bit of responsibility.
“I was the captain and Henry [Edwards] left so I took over as forwards coach but was still playing. With [head coach] Frank Hadden at the time it sort of developed into another coaching role.
“One of my first big coaching roles was Scotland in the Six Nations as forwards coach. I was t-hrown into that. It was like a bap tism of fire in one of the greatest tournaments in world rugby, but it was such a great experience.
“-I love coaching. It really devel ops you. You never quite master it. Every single day there’s a different challenge. -
“There’s a lot at stake because it’s personal for you and you put so much into it.
“It’s a little bit bipolar. You roll with the highs and the lows. You feel all of it but never stop learning, nor developing, nor trying to get better.
“-It’s dealing with egos, misalign ment, expectations, planning, all those things that people don’t see but it’s a massive part of coaching today.”
Pat was inspired by Sir Ian Mcgeechan, the legendary Lions coach who was performance director and then director of rugby at Bath Rugby between 2010 and 2012. The pair became close during his time playing for Northampton Saints.
Pat explains: “He knew I had a real interest in the game, he made m-e one of the leaders and, basi cally, as I was coming near the end he asked me to join him with Scotland.
“He mentored me right through up until my first two and a half -years of coaching, until I went back and coached Auckland.”
The pair butted friendly heads as coaches when Todd was in charge of the Crusaders and Lam in charge of the Blues – two Super Rugby franchises who play out a fierce North island-south island rivalry.
Now they are looking forward to pitting their wits against each other again at Twickenham on April 6, when the West Country derby is contested at The Clash.
While their styles of coaching might differ, both agree that you have to stick to your identity as res▶ olutely as you can.