Cockerill still has eyes on a real prize
AFTER Edinburgh’s Pro14 semi-final defeat, being named Coach of the Year last week must have felt a little hollow for Richard Cockerill.
Indeed, with Leo Cullen leading his Leinster side to an invincible domestic season by lifting the league title against Edinburgh’s conquerors Ulster at the weekend, many will feel it almost laughable that he missed out on the managerial gong.
Of course, Cockerill would gladly sacrifice the individual awards for something of more substance. Trophies are the only true currency for a coach.
Yet, as so often is the case in sport, the opportunity for redemption is never too far away.
And come Saturday, Edinburgh travel to France to take on Bordeaux-Begles in the European Challenge Cup quarter-final. It is a difficult task but it is an opportunity.
Much like the Scotland national team, Edinburgh have to learn to win in high-pressure situations.
The semi-final defeat to Ulster was the fourth time they have crashed out at the first hurdle of the knock-out stages in a major competition under Cockerill.
Two quarter-final defeats to Munster — one in the Pro14 and another in the Heineken Champions Cup. A European Challenge Cup quarter-final defeat to Cardiff Blues. And now the latest exit, despite enjoying home advantage against Ulster.
It is not the record of someone who should be picking up awards. And Cockerill will know it.
The Englishman has one week to rebuild the confidence of his players before facing the French. Cockerill’s main priority will be to ensure he gets a full 80-minute performance from his side. They can’t afford to get in sight of the finishing line and then allow their bottle to crash again.
Full-back Blair Kinghorn has suggested Cockerill bring in a sports psychologist to work with the players after they let slip a 19-7 lead at home with 20 minutes left against Ulster. It will be interesting to see if Cockerill is of a similar mind.
Out of all his Edinburgh players, it is two South Africans with Scotland aspirations who need to be taken aside more than anybody else and told only playing in patches isn’t good enough.
Winger Duhan van der Merwe — justifiably named the Pro14 Player of the Year — has already qualified for Scotland through residency. Fly-half Jaco van der Walt will become eligible the same way in mid-November.
The pair were superb in the first half against Ulster with Van der Merwe coming off his wing looking for the ball. Van der Walt kicked well and made the right tactical decisions.
Yet when Ulster started their second-half revival, they were posted missing, especially Van der Walt. They are still potential match-winners against Bordeaux-Begles but need to stay focused rather than drift in and out of big games.
Knowing that Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend will use the match against the French side more than any other to value their international potential will be an added incentive for the pair to do well.
With Scotland due to play six games in a seven-week period in
October, November and early December, they both have a great chance of making their debuts for their adopted country.
For that to happen, they need to stand up and be counted in an Edinburgh team that has to show more mental strength than they did against Ulster.
For Cockerill, a victory in Europe would go some way to justifying his award and keep alive Edinburgh’s dream of winning their first ever piece of silverware.