Jason Gilmore press conference | Harlequins v Gloucester

Jason Gilmore sat down with members of the media to preview the return of Gallagher PREM rugby as Harlequins take on Gloucester on Saturday (21 March, KO 15:00).

The Senior Coach discussed the following:

• Objectives for the rest of the season
• Challenge of facing Gloucester
• Run of exciting fixtures
• Improvements made through PREM Cup block
• Balancing the return of international players
• Strengthening squad connection in Cornwall

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:01

Last minute sir, how are you?

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Hey Phil, how are you, mate?

SPEAKER_02 0:03

Yeah, good, thank you. Um before we get talking about Harlequins, uh what did you make from the Six Nations? Get a chance to watch a few of the games?

SPEAKER_00 0:11

Yeah, yeah, watching them all. It was uh interesting um competition this year. Um and that uh France England game was probably a good way to finish it off, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_02 0:23

Yeah, uh uh yeah, it was quite exciting, wasn't it? It was a good weekend. Um obviously, more importantly, from your point of view, is looking ahead now to this next stage of the season. Um what's the sort of uh objective? What what are what are we looking at? What are you looking at at this point? A a reset going into the spring and into this final chunk of the season with some big games coming out?

SPEAKER_00 0:45

Yeah, there'll be three things obviously in Europe. We want to um you know, we we want to dream big there and get as far through in Europe as we can. Um in terms of the Prem, uh collating as many points as we can, we want to finish up the ladder, obviously. Um, and probably just as importantly, we we're striving really hard to really find our game in this next block of three to four months. So um if we can hit the off-season uh in good shape in terms of how we want to play across all the disciplines and have improved, um, I think that'll be a good marker for us.

SPEAKER_02 1:22

Um and and you mentioned obviously Europe and is is what's to come this weekend an important stage in post ahead of the following couple of weeks building into that.

SPEAKER_00 1:33

Yeah, it is. Obviously, we've you know we we haven't been together in terms of our full squad um like everyone else for you know probably feels like about six, seven weeks at the moment. So um, you know, first and foremost, Gloucester's gonna provide a good challenge for us. We're back at home. Um, you know, we've got some of our internationals back. Obviously, we've got to rest a couple as well, so um we've got a plan around how we're gonna do that in the first couple of weeks, but certainly you know, Gloucester into Bristol for their big game is going to be important. Then we've got sale and the knockout, so the next three weeks are pretty exciting.

SPEAKER_02 2:09

Yeah, uh, you mentioned that it's good to start at home in that respect as well. Um, you know, against the Gloucester side that will challenge you, but you you will look at that as a as a way of getting a W on the board right from the get-go from this this restart.

SPEAKER_00 2:22

Yeah, and no doubt they'll they'll be saying the same thing, like we're pretty similar on the ladder and um similar seasons. So um look, it's it's gonna be a tight contest. Um looking at the weather, it's gonna be going to be a quick dry track at the stoop. Two teams are going to want to use the ball, so it's gonna be plenty of ball movement, plenty of positivity around it. Um, you know, we'll know particularly with their back route, they'll come hard at our breakdown, so we've just got to make sure that we deal with that and and hopefully it's uh it's refereed um in the same manner.

SPEAKER_02 2:51

And and the focus, I mean, obviously, from the squad point of view, you look at what's happened so far this season. So it's sort of where are the areas that you want to see that that improvement going into this game against Gloucester ahead of ahead of the Bristol game. What do you want to see on Saturday at the weekend?

SPEAKER_00 3:07

Oh look, I I think in in most of most of the disciplines of the game, we've been working hard um to improve. We've had a pretty good prem cut block in terms of we've highlighted three things that we've gone after, and we've we've really been aggressive in that. Um, how we're using the football and probably our rugby IQ to go with that on when to use the football as well has been pretty positive in the main defensively, uh, particularly on our edge defence. That's probably one area that led us down a little bit uh in the last block. Um, and set piece like our our our scrum, our scrum's probably gone under the radar a little bit this year. Bomb's done a really good job with that. Um, but being personnel down in the last couple of months in the front row in particular, we're we've probably, you know, that Leicester game in Prem Cup was was uh an example of that, but uh we're getting some props back on deck, so that set piece more scrum is really important that we're competing hard.

SPEAKER_02 4:04

And then as you mentioned, obviously with the with the international players coming back and the way that you've got to manage that, I suppose that's that's just part of the job, isn't it, right? And and everyone's in that same boat, so you it you know it's it's just the nature of the game. You like everyone back at the same time, full squad, bang, let's go, but you can't quite do that, but you're not the only only club that are having to deal with that.

SPEAKER_00 4:26

No, no, it's a balance, and every club that have got internationals have it, and if they're spread across different teams as well, obviously we've got George Turner at Scotland and Jared Evans at Wales as well that we're managing, plus the England boys. Um, yeah, a lot goes into it. How many minutes have they played, particularly in the last three to four weeks? Are they banged up? Um, you know, emotionally, those England boys I'd imagine will come back a little bit flat. Um, they put a lot of work into that France game as well to not get the results. So look at how you look after their weeks, particularly at the front end, is going to be important.

SPEAKER_02 5:02

Just for me, you mentioned the Premier Cup. It's always an opportunity for some of those emerging players to actually show what they've got as well. Um anyone in particular, or or just just it just as the group, did you did you were you impressed by the some of these all?

SPEAKER_00 5:17

Yeah, we're we're pretty happy actually with our Prem Cup block two. Um I think Ferg, our transition coach mentioned last week we've debuted 25 players under the age of 23 across those eight games, which is great for us. Um probably the standout for us in the last block has been Josh Bellamy. Um, you know, at fullback, he's really lit it up. Um he's played a lot of England under-20s, he got his got his opportunity, um, would have debuted for us this week, but he broke his thumb last weekend, unfortunately. So um he'll he'll miss his chance in the short term, but um he was probably the standout for us in this block.

SPEAKER_02 5:57

Brilliant, thank you for that. Best of luck of the weekend.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

Thanks, Phil.

SPEAKER_01 6:02

Jason, hi, good to see you.

SPEAKER_00 6:04

Hi Claire, how are you?

SPEAKER_01 6:05

Yeah, very well, thank you. Very well. Um, tell us a bit more about this Cornwall camp, if you don't mind my asking. What are the focuses? What did you do to build off-field chemistry? What was a highlight for you?

SPEAKER_00 6:15

Yeah, it was um obviously we've gone pretty hard through the Prem Cup in terms of training. We really um used that um from a physical running point of view to get our game on the puck, but also how we play. Um, so what Cornish allowed us to do is at the end of our pretty tough training block was actually take the boys away, different environment, um, connect up off the field, almost a bit of a reward for the work that the boys have put in. Um we got some good training done down there, and obviously Cornish gave us um a really physical hit out to finish off the camp. So probably um just as much off-field as on field with those boys, um, and also just to get them get them out of London. Um obviously it's been been a decent old year, so to be able to freshen them up and take them somewhere different um was just good for the stimulus.

SPEAKER_01 7:02

And what were we talking off-field? Crabbing, fish and chaps a couple of rounds ago.

SPEAKER_00 7:07

Yeah, yeah, probably all of the above. Um uh we had some senior boys um that really led uh some of the off-field stuff, just connection points. And look, some of it was organized, other things weren't, just boys getting down to the beach that you know hadn't hadn't spent a lot of time together, and um it was really pleasing to see, it was good to see.

SPEAKER_01 7:27

So you got what you wanted out of the whole escapade.

SPEAKER_00 7:29

Yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_01 7:30

Perfect, I'm pleased to hear it. And what about your RGs? Did they make it back to Argentina? They've had so much rugby, so I'm aware that Pat Lam, for example, just sent all of his away for a month. What did you do with yours?

SPEAKER_00 7:41

Yeah, they were the same. All of our boys went back home. Um, was it for four weeks? And even talking to Guido, like Guido hasn't spent more than 20 days in his house for so long, and so for him to actually just get back home and reconnect with family and friends, and you know, Rodrigo's the same, he's been on the go with the sevens um into the Pumas, and then with us as well. So um they've certainly come back fresh. Um, they've come back with some teens, um, so they're they're definitely happy with the boys.

SPEAKER_01 8:10

Yes. And you mentioned how for everyone a Six Nations campaign is different depending on the minutes you get, your individual performances, your team's outcomes. So, how much have you spoken this week to any of your Six Nations representatives, and um, when will you expect them back in Surrey?

SPEAKER_00 8:23

Yeah, we've um uh had a chat with a couple of them today, so we've given them today off, um, and then the guys that will play this week they'll reintegrate um tomorrow. Um, and then we've we've got a few boys that we'll take this week off, obviously. So I I won't I won't say names and give away our team on a Monday, of course, but um yeah, we're we're we're managing all of our boys.

SPEAKER_01 8:47

It is brutal, isn't it? The rugby calendar. It's mad to think that some of them are getting this is not a reflection on you and your programme, but the fact that some of them have played in the Six Nations on a Saturday and that they're back in in an environment again on Tuesday. It's um it's relentless the sport we play.

SPEAKER_00 9:01

Yeah, and and I think it's um allowing the boys to have input into that as well. Um so we we obviously speak with our boys about you know, if they've got to take a week off in the next three, we've got our thoughts on it, but it's important that the boys take ownership over it as well because you know, look, if if they don't want to play this week and they're tired and then we make them play, they're not gonna play well on the weekend for us. So we're certainly guided by the boys in terms of how they're feeling. Um, also for them, they want to reconnect with family during their week off as well. So um look, it's probably a bit of bit of give and take between the player and the club, um, and also how many minutes, like some boys will do the whole of Six Nations but not play a game. Um, you know, emotionally they're probably um pretty empty from having to do that and disappointed that they haven't played, and then you get other boys that you know they'll play 60-80 minutes a week at Test Rugby and physically they're they're exhausted. So um yeah, it it's tricky.

SPEAKER_01 9:55

Have you managed to refresh since the Prem paused? Anything personally that you'd be happy to share? Have you managed to spend any extra time with family, get away yourself?

SPEAKER_00 10:03

Yeah, I I duck back home, so it's the same in the Prem Cup block. So I duck back to Australia um for a week and a half, um uh do a bit of PD, obviously catch up with family, um, reconnect with everyone back home again, which was nice, um, and then came back in the second second game of Prem Cup.

SPEAKER_01 10:22

And last one from me before I let John hop in. There's a lot changing behind the scenes at Harlequins, or rather, there's a lot of work going on behind the scenes at Harlequins. What has changed uh that we might not know about since January? Can you sense that the reorganisation and the the kind of clarification that we know you're after is getting there? In terms of in terms of how this club is going to progress to get as addressed in January by the statement from Laurie to get the performances that we know this group are capable of and just to make sure that going forward you're building the right kind of sustainable environments that live up to this club's reputation.

SPEAKER_00 10:58

Yeah, yeah, and and I think um I think it's right through the entire club that everyone's taking responsibility. Um obviously um we're probably at the the coal face of it, and rightly so, and in terms of the staff and and the players directly with the team. Um, you know, we've battled a fair old injury list, which probably hasn't helped at different times in terms of consistency, but what I would say with the boys that have been on the pitch every week is they are working hard. Um they they deeply care for the club. In the background, there's obviously a lot of alignment that we're looking at between departments and what best practice looks for us longer term because what we don't want to do is you know, we rush and and put short-term solutions in and we get a spike, and then we're back out of the top four for another eight years, and um we're questioning how to actually build a rugby programme. So look, I I think from the board down um uh to Kipmen, players, you know, staff, everyone's taking responsibility in terms of what this club needs to be looking like.

SPEAKER_01 11:57

No doubt. Thank you very much. I'll see you on Saturday.

SPEAKER_00 12:00

Thanks, Claire.

SPEAKER_03 12:02

Hi Jason.

SPEAKER_00 12:03

Hi John, how are you?

SPEAKER_03 12:05

Yeah, good thanks. Um on the injury front, are there any with this uh period where without any league matches, are there any players that were injured that are now back in contention?

SPEAKER_00 12:15

Um there will be a couple. The the list was pretty extensive, mate, so I probably can't rattle off all of them. But um look, we're we'll get we'll get a few of the boys back in the next three weeks at at different periods. Um we're not going to get a great deal back. Um, but we'll certainly, you know, we'll pick up like a Ben Waghorn. Hopefully, he can get a run of games for us at the moment. Um Tyrone Green, obviously he was injured through that first block, came back a little bit through that second block, so hopefully again he is another one in that backline that can get a run of games. But um, yeah, we we won't get uh won't get an avalanche of players back.

SPEAKER_03 12:54

Um and go back to the England side of things. Your contingent, there was a few of them that didn't get many minutes, but they were involved in multiple games. Just just remember were there any that didn't meet the threshold where they have to rest one game in three, or do they all fall under that sort of ruling?

SPEAKER_00 13:12

Yeah, it's uh it's it's a tricky one. Um not not all the boys met the threshold, but they're still in camp for six weeks, training at a high intensity, travelling. Um the only bit that they don't do is probably play the game on the weekend. So um I think workload-wise they've still done pretty much the same for some of them, it's just without the game. So I I still think we need to be mindful of whilst they haven't played, um they still haven't had a break coming straight out of Prem, going straight into Six Nations. So I I think most clubs are aware of that, and um look whether whether they get the week off in the first three or it's a little bit later in this season, we're very conscious of that.

SPEAKER_03 13:52

Apologies for going over something that perhaps I shouldn't know off the top of my head, but what it what is the threshold where it's set up to you and your management of players rather than a hard and fast role?

SPEAKER_00 14:01

Yeah, it it's they've got to be in the in the match day 23 uh across all of the all the internationals.

SPEAKER_03 14:08

Right, okay. Um Claire mentioned about the uh the fans forum the other night and about the reset and everything else. Um today Alan Dickens officially finished his role as um interim head coach, I suppose you could call it. Um you're effectively in that role leading the coaching group, aren't you after Danny Wilson's sudden departure? How difficult is it for you on a personal level to have been leading the group with amongst that backdrop of speculation about who's going to come in and everything else?

SPEAKER_00 14:40

Yeah, it it does it does get tough, but um I've I've had this one before at the at the TARS, so I've got experience in terms of interim and knowing you know what what gets run through the media and um you know you you're adopting a team with values and behaviours that have already been established under the the previous regime, obviously. So you're certainly on the go trying to change some small things that you know will work, but ultimately if they're long term, um it's a little bit more difficult with the pressure of games and Europe and all that type of stuff. That's probably more a pre-season um change that will need to be made. But um look, I I'm all good. Um I'm old enough to to know what goes on in the world, so um, my main priority is just to make sure that the boys, their head spaces are in a good spot, the staff are are nice and tight, and um, you know, where we can produce some reasonable results with what's left in the year.

SPEAKER_03 15:35

Are you under contract beyond the end of the season or yes I am? You are right, okay, great. Um and moving back to Cornwall, um a guy that I used to speak to quite regularly when he was spotted Cortish Pirates as Jim Mackay, I'm presuming a little bit, uh, given you're both Australian and you work in elite high performance. Um do you know Jim and and did you speak to Jim about Cornwall?

SPEAKER_00 16:00

I I know Jim pretty well. I was actually with him uh I was in the Reds Academy when Jim was the Reds backs coach and then coached against him when I was at the Waratar. So yeah, I I I know Jim pretty well and and for a long time. Um I I didn't drop him a line about Cornwall. Um but uh you went for you again. Yeah, okay, okay. No, but uh look he's he's he's a great man, Jim.

SPEAKER_03 16:24

Uh I think that's it from it, Jason.

SPEAKER_00 16:26

Cool, thanks, John.

SPEAKER_03 16:28

Perfect. Thank you guys. Appreciate the time. I'll let Jason go.