Cadan Murley press conference | Bristol Bears v Harlequins

Cadan Murley sat down with the press ahead of Saturday's Gallagher PREM fixture with Bristol Bears.

The Club's vice-captain covered:

• Excitement of working with Robbie Deans
• Building under Head Coach Jason Gilmore 
• Raising standards
• Prospect of playing at the Principality
• Honour of representing England

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Yeah, can do. Hey Kane, hey Dad.

SPEAKER_04 0:01

Yeah, I'm good, thank you, mate. Yourself?

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Yeah, very good, thanks. Um start at the top really, how good is it internally to get sort of the future of the club on the coaching side firmed up?

SPEAKER_04 0:13

Yeah, really nice to hear as players. I mean, I'm personally excited, obviously someone of Robbie Dean's experience to oversee things, how much of a winner he is, how much he's won. And just hearing people who have been under him, especially over in Japan, hearing how good he's been over there is is really exciting.

SPEAKER_00 0:31

So who's who have you been sort of um tapping up to find out what he's like, then who's who are your contacts in Japan and then elsewhere?

SPEAKER_04 0:37

Well, there's a few boys who have played over there. You like Sir George Turner, Steph Annavisa have played over there, and they've got friends over there, and they've said how experienced he is and how a lot of boys want to go over there just so they can work with him. So yeah, it's it's very exciting to have him in this environment.

SPEAKER_00 0:51

And how involved were sort of the players, the senior leadership group in the whole process and the whole sort of uh yeah.

SPEAKER_04 0:59

Yeah, we we had um Domers, I'm sure, had chats as well, but we had chats with with Jason, with Laurie as well, just to try and make sure we're aligned going forward. But ultimately it comes down to them to make the decision and get the right person in, and I think that they've done that.

SPEAKER_00 1:14

And do you think just having that certainty, like whoever it was, like if they whoever they were pointing to just having that knowledge who's in place going forwards will help the team sort of get out of the current runner form, just sort of a yeah, a kind of a focus on the future.

SPEAKER_04 1:29

Yeah, well, it gives clarity, doesn't it? And it gives you um like certainty going forward. So yeah, to have that will is is no hindrance at all, and it's definitely definitely going to help us going forward. I mean, ultimately, as a playing playing group, we've got uh perform better in these in these next few weeks, and we're excited with the challenge ahead. Obviously, a big big game over in um Principality Stadium against Bristol this weekend, and then an exciting shot in Europe. So, yeah, these next few weeks are massive for us to get us back on track.

SPEAKER_00 1:57

And just lastly for me, how have you found it coming back from the international environment into the club environment? That yeah, that process has it been alright for your end.

SPEAKER_04 2:06

Yeah, it's probably something I've haven't really done before. Last season I was in the Six Asians but got injured, so kind of had a few weeks off rest. But whereas this time coming straight back in, look the I love the boys here at Quinns, they make you feel so welcome, and um, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with England to get an opportunity in those last two games. So I'm just relishing everything about my rugby at the moment, trying to get out there as much as I can, want to keep these kind of role of games going back to back and try and um keep this form going. Cheers, Caden, thanks a lot. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 2:35

Hey Caden, it's uh Dan Scofer from the Telegraph. How are you?

SPEAKER_04 2:38

I'm all good, thank you, mate. Yourself?

SPEAKER_01 2:40

Very well. Um just picking up on what Mike was asking, when uh Laurie and probably the other executives asked you in particular about Chase, what what was it you said about him and why do you think he's the right man to be the sort of Harlequin's head coach going forward?

SPEAKER_04 2:58

I think it's really simple for me. I think the amount of work he's done by behind the scenes having taken on the job a week before the season started. I mean, he was defence coach, head coach, trying to do multiple things and his his work ethic firstly, he's first in, last out to leave the building. But his the biggest thing was his relationships with all the players. Whether you're a first year academy, whether you're uh senior captain like Alex Domarth, he has a brilliant relationship with all the players. And I think with this team around him now, he can really get the best out of our group. We can have a clear vision going forward, and yeah, personally, just working with him, he wants the best for not only the club, but also for the individuals because ultimately you get the best out of your individuals, you will get the best out of the club and the performance. So he's looking to develop players, bring people through that will help this rugby club going forward.

SPEAKER_01 3:50

Do you understand why maybe people on the outside looking in might find it a curious appointment given Harlequin's league record this season and the fact that clearly he's mentally popular with the players, but that necessary hasn't necessarily translated into consistent results?

SPEAKER_04 4:07

Yeah, 100%. But he took over a squad that wasn't his. We did a pre-season, probably based around things that potentially weren't uh how we we then wanted to play. So there's been a lot of moving factors. You can't just put it on one man who took over the season um a week before. So I think there are a lot of moving factors, a lot of moving parts. I can understand the frustration, but the fact you have that alignment and willingness to fight for your coach, I think that is a massive marker on the way to who you want to have in charge.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

And what what would your message to Harlequin supporters whose faith is, shall we say, wobbling at the moment about, and they've heard a lot about this sort of brighter future tomorrow a couple of times, but what would your message be to them?

SPEAKER_04 4:52

Yeah, it's it's hard to really put into words. I mean, it hurts us as well. Um, like the the pain and the frustration and the anger almost in the building around our results and how we've been this season because it's it's not been it's not nowhere near where we want to be. But there is a plan, there is a vision going forward, which I think now having that clarity in who's gonna be in charge has has brought that. So I'm excited for we're trying to now build a base for for next season and put things in place that will hopefully allow us to to compete in the Prem next year. But like I said, we've still got an exciting shot in Europe this year, so we're gonna go in the Quinn's way and go out and try and play our hearts out in that and see what what the run comes in that.

SPEAKER_01 5:40

Thank you. And and this final question uh uh is almost what you're looking forward to is just a period of stability at the club because I don't know how you're not exactly an old guy, but you probably played under yeah, fair few head coaches, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 5:55

Yeah, exactly. And I think that was the the key point. We wanted someone who could be there long term, is all in with the club, um, will work uh work their hardest to try and get the club where it needs to be, and will is a long-term plan. So, yeah, it's it's exciting to have that um secured.

SPEAKER_01 6:14

Excellent. Thanks for your time, Caden.

SPEAKER_04 6:16

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 6:18

Hi, Caden.

SPEAKER_04 6:19

Hello, Neil.

SPEAKER_02 6:22

How are you?

SPEAKER_04 6:22

I'm good, mate. Yourself. How are you?

SPEAKER_02 6:24

No, not too bad, not too bad. Uh do you think that Quinn's season has suffered because of what happened at the start of it with Danny Gowen?

SPEAKER_04 6:37

Um potentially, I think it's it's to lose your head coach a week before the the start of the season is never going to be ideal, is it? Um but like we've we always say at Quinn's, we want to develop people, we want them to go on to further honours. So it's no slight on Danny. He's gone over to Wales um and and doing his thing there. And obviously it's it's probably put us a little bit behind the log, but look, there are multiple things that have happened. I mean, uh a fair few injuries as well, and I'm not making excuses because ultimately our performances haven't been good enough, but yeah, that was probably a little factor in it.

SPEAKER_02 7:13

Um yeah, well, I guess that you'd probably quite like to won one or two more games. Yeah, but is it difficult to like keep your chin up and put your best foot forward and all those other cliche things when you're losing?

SPEAKER_04 7:29

Is it difficult?

SPEAKER_02 7:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 7:32

No, I'm a sportsman, I go out there every week to try and perform at my best. To try and I I love this club, I've been at this club over 10 years now, and I know there are a lot of people in the in the same space. Um, yes, it's frustrating, and yes, you you'll get your heads down, but we always speak about trying to build that consistency where we want to um build our game based on the Quinn's DNA and getting those factors right, and the performances will come based on that. So, reviewing ourselves, have having those honest conversations in the week, but ultimately we go out there every week to try and put our best foot forward and perform for this club.

SPEAKER_02 8:10

Because you shouldn't really be where you are with some of the players you've got, obviously, yourself, you've got Marcus Smith, L. Allen, you've got quite an experienced core, haven't you?

SPEAKER_04 8:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:23

So you shouldn't really be struggling, I guess is the question.

SPEAKER_04 8:27

Yeah, we've no doubt underperformed, and that's we need ultimately it's the players out on the pitch that are doing that. So there is a bit a bit on that. I think, yes, you can have all those players, but we've also had a load of injuries. We've had a lot of boys coming through and and developing. Um, you look at the likes of Lucas Friday, Elliot Williams, who have played Prem games at 18, 19 years old. Um, so there's also that massive excitement around those boys coming through because Quinn's has been based on their academy products um for years. You look at the the days when you had the the Robshaws, the the Marlers, the Mike Browns, the Jack Cliffords, all of them came through the Academy. So we're building on that side as well. And yes, we have an experienced core, but we also have a very youthful side to it as well.

SPEAKER_02 9:15

Because you've been there ten years, do you almost make it your personal mission to make sure that the good times come back?

SPEAKER_04 9:24

Yeah, I'm absolutely desperate for them to come back. I mean, I've had some brilliant memories in a Quincher, and they're not too long ago, and not too much has changed. Um, so all it takes, you look at what Extra have done last season to this season, now suddenly they're pushing top four. It's such a weird professional sport, is so weird. It it can take just a momentum shift or a bit of confidence or bringing the right people in, which hopefully we've done Robbie Deans and Rob Hunter to have those brilliant experienced coaches who have who are winners and have won in the past, to have them come come in, help, help um Jason out there will be will be no doubt help us push forward.

SPEAKER_02 10:00

Very fine margins, isn't it?

SPEAKER_04 10:02

Oh, massively, massively. You're a couple of percent off in a game now, and you're gonna get whitewashed. Moment is is such a big thing in fresh and rugby at the moment.

SPEAKER_02 10:10

Okay, mate, thank you very much indeed.

SPEAKER_04 10:13

Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 10:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 10:18

Hello, Paul.

SPEAKER_03 10:20

Um, just um You know, look, you talked about earlier that sale game in in the in the Champions Cup. Does that you know it's not it's not the league? You've done you've done well in the Champions Cup and you're winning a La Rochelle, which shows that there's a good team in there. Um does does it does it give you the opportunity to just throw off throw off the league and and for a week in preparation just just have a really good throw at it?

SPEAKER_04 10:45

Yeah, I think so. I think we're going into every game with almost that fr freedom at the moment. So we want to try and like like I've said earlier, we're we're putting in place uh building blocks that we want to build forward into next season. Um, but ultimately in that in that European game, like you said, is knockout rugby, anything can happen. So yeah, we're going into that with such an optimistic mindset to to give our supporters something to cheer about, which we probably haven't done enough this this year. Um a home round of 16 in Europe is nothing to it's it's it's an unbelievable thing to have. So yeah, we're we're massive looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_03 11:18

And you know, in recent seasons, some of your best performances have been in the Champions Cup, haven't they? I mean, you know you obviously made the semi-final.

SPEAKER_04 11:25

Yeah, exactly. Go and I think people forget two years ago we beat Bordo away, and I think yeah, things like that. That is um we relish those those kind of games. So massive one this weekend over in the Principality with Bristol, and then hopefully we can build a bit of uh bit of steam, bit of momentum heading into that that European game at home at the stoop.

SPEAKER_03 11:44

Yeah, and I guess you know the w one thing you'll have this summer, you you talked about you know Danny going a week before, the your whole preseason sort of not that been smoke, but I mean you ripped up a bit. But this summer you'd be able to really go at it in pre-season.

SPEAKER_04 11:58

Yeah, definitely. I mean, the cla like like we've said, having that clarity of who's coming in, having a clear vision, a long-term plan going forward that we can obviously we're trying to implement it now because then we have the jump on next season as well. So, yeah, there's there's so many um important decisions that have now been made that give us clarity as a playing group, which will help us build into the rest of the season and into next season.

SPEAKER_03 12:20

And lastly for me, Caden, um got to ask you about that France game. You could almost have been in the Harlequins jersey. It was so magical. What was it? I mean, I I mean I know the result of the end of the weekend, but what was it, what was it like to play it?

SPEAKER_04 12:33

It was incredible. I mean, the atmosphere I've been told a few times by some of the more experienced boys who have played played in the Stade de France a few times that it's going to be one of the loudest, best atmospheres he ever played in. I don't think I quite appreciated that until we got out there, sung the anthems, and the noise that was there was yeah, it was unbelievable to be a part of. Obviously, the result was gutting. Um, but to play in a venue like that um against a French team like that, which yeah, and to put that performance out in the park as well after the few weeks before, as well. I think no one really expected us to go out there and score 40 points in the Stade de France. So, no, it was it was great to be a part of.