Turner-Hall bids to be the new Andy Farrell
JORDAN Turner-Hall is eyeing a future in top-flight coaching after accepting the role of defence specialist at ambitious Rosslyn Park.
Turner-Hall was forced to call time on his playing career through injury in 2015, aged 27. However, the former Harlequins and England centre has forged a coaching career at Hurstpierpoint College and Wimbledon RFC and is making another step up.
Park finished 12th this season in National One but will have new coaches under boss Kieran Power, with Turner-Hall being joined by former Cranleigh School rugby director Andy Houston (attack) and exToulon head of performance Steve Walsh.
Turner-Hall, 30, said: “I want to treat coaching as a craft and you need to treat it with respect – just because you were a good player doesn’t make you a good coach, there’s a lot more to it than that.
“I’ve coached six to 18year-olds and done as much as I can to be in a position where I feel comfortable coaching. I’m doing my badges and I want people to know that I’m serious about this and that it’s not just me trying to walk in and rely on reputation.
“I’ve grown up in a top level club at Harlequins and know what a successful culture looks like, so that’s what I want to bring to Rosslyn Park. They’re a diamond in the rough as far as potential is concerned and I’m excited to be going there.”
Capped twice by England during the 2012 Six Nations and a Premiership winner with Quins, Turner-Hall’s career was cut short by a chronic hip condition that plagued him for five years.
He said: “Retiring was a big relief to be honest. I was fighting something that first kicked-in back in 2010 and I was lucky to get as far as I did. Sometimes people retire early and I had a fortunate playing career, but it was time for something else.”
Turner-Hall cites renowned defence guru Andy Farrell as the man in whose footsteps he aims to follow, having experienced his coaching with England.
He added: “People talk about systems but for me defence is all about hearts and minds and Andy got that buy-in from boys with the energy and enthusiasm he brought.
“That was the aspect of the game I enjoyed the most and it says a lot about the character of a player and a team if they want to defend. It doesn’t take a lot of skill, it just takes application and courage and that’s what I aim to bring to Rosslyn Park.”
Meanwhile, Turner-Hall believes a fresh start at Harlequins was needed, although he is saddened by the departure of rugby director John Kingston.
He said: “People evolve, things change and sometimes they can become stagnant. I don’t think the finger needs to be pointed at anyone, but it’s time for a freshen up and, a bit like Rosslyn Park, they’ve got everything they need to succeed.
“I’ve got nothing but respect for John Kingston, who’s been pretty hard on himself, but I expect Harlequins to come back stronger from this.”