Jason Gilmore press conference | Harlequins vs Exeter Chiefs

Head Coach Jason Gilmore sat down with members of the media to preview Harlequin's Big Summer Kick-Off fixture against Exeter Chiefs at Allianz Stadium.

The Head Coach covered several topics including:

• Pleasing element of Red Bulls performance
• Returning players
• Rising to the occasion
• Repaying supporters 
• Tough to beat Chiefs

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Uh Jason, just before we get going properly, just a quick check on bodies uh availability slash unavailability this week.

SPEAKER_05 0:06

Yeah, we're we've got through the game pretty well against Newcastle, so um those lads will be available. Um we'll have uh a couple of boys that'll come back from injury this week for us. So um yeah, we're starting to get a couple more bodies back, which is nice.

SPEAKER_03 0:21

Okay, um before we get into the games itself, um confirmation today that um Jeremy Mullins uh going to be uh leaving the club and uh heading off to Connor. Just some thoughts on that.

SPEAKER_05 0:30

Yeah, look, Gee's a brilliant man. Um he's a real up-and-coming uh coach, obviously been at Quinns a long time and worked his way through the system. Um he's got an opportunity uh to go to Connor, work under Stew with with the attack there. So um look being an Irishman, I I think he'll work his way through their system really well.

SPEAKER_03 0:51

Right then, chasing top eight, how important is it to the club, both in terms of rugby and finances? Obviously, the Challenge Cup doesn't bring anything like the kind of cash in that you would want.

SPEAKER_05 1:02

Yeah, I I think it's as simple as that. We we we want to be in Champions Cup, it's a competition we fill we play good rugby in, um, and we're obviously in a scrap with Gloucester knocking over Sale. Probably at the latter stages of that game, they're probably pushed ahead a little bit. Um, but look, we've got three games to get as many points as we can.

SPEAKER_03 1:20

And those remaining games, Exeter, Saracens, Saints, you're gonna have a sale in the top four, aren't you?

SPEAKER_05 1:26

Yeah, well, it's a bit like uh a bit like the Bristol game at their big game. Like um, we feel like teams that are battling to get into that top four can can we rein on some parades a little bit, and we felt we did that a little bit with Bristol, and look, we've got three great opportunities, they're gonna be tough games, but um I think they're definitely gonna be games that our boys will get up for.

SPEAKER_03 1:46

I don't want to be unkind to Newcastle, but at times it wasn't that competitive. So, how much can you genuinely take out of that game?

SPEAKER_05 1:54

I I think what I was most pleased with, probably for the first hour of the game, we've we've been working hard at training and speaking a lot about um just showing more respect for the ball and not turning it over so easy, and um we want to carry the ball a bit more in games versus tackling, and and I thought we ended the sets in attack really nicely on the weekend. Um, yeah, look that they obviously had an off day. I'd like to think that we started well and got them on the back foot early and we continued that pressure, which was great. Um, probably last 20 minutes um a little bit loose. I I would have liked to have seen it's just shown a little bit more maturity to really close it hard. But um having said that, we finished with uh a lot of young boys in that forward pack getting good opportunity as well.

SPEAKER_03 2:37

Take me into the bus journey home. It's a hell of a long way at the best of times, but coming off the back of a good win like that must have been a really bouncing place.

SPEAKER_05 2:45

Yeah, it was good. We um, as I said earlier, we we got the plane back this time, we got the bus back in Prem Cup, so it was uh it was a shorter trip, but um look at it it's always nice to win, isn't it? It um it gives you confidence and belief and the work that you put in through the week, particularly with the lads, um you just want to see them do well.

SPEAKER_03 3:03

Twickenham this weekend, always special for this club. Um, you need to go out there and and make it special again.

SPEAKER_05 3:10

Yeah, we do, and we spoke about today. Um, you know, you you get opportunities in life and and you either you take them or or you miss them. And we felt at Christmas time at our big game against Bristol, we we missed that opportunity completely and we let ourselves down. And um, whilst we got that back at Cardiff, this is this is our home turf. We we want to make sure we put on a good display for our supporters.

SPEAKER_03 3:33

You got Will Porter back into the uh the 23 up in Newcastle. I'm sure he's gonna be around the squad again this weekend. Look, Lucas has been brilliant for you, don't get me wrong, but the experience of Will just just is a little bit extra for you, isn't it?

SPEAKER_05 3:47

Yeah, it is. He's he's such a key player for us, and look, he's worked really hard back from his shoulder surgery to get back um quickly. And um, pretty much like a couple of years ago when he came back from the same injury, he's just straight back into it. He doesn't miss stride. So just having his presence and his voice and his leadership in an around, particularly our attack, is uh is a good thing.

SPEAKER_03 4:06

What about Exeter? They looked like they were in danger of maybe running out of gas in the games against Gloucester and Ulster, but to do that, what they did against Bath last weekend was certainly a statement, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_05 4:18

Yeah, that they're a good side, and I caught it at the start of the year. Out of any team I thought would climb the ladder, it was going to be Exeter. I thought they recruited well. Um off the back of last year, they would have had plenty of fire in the belly to bounce back. And um, look, they're gonna be a formidable opponent, they're a big forward pack, they've probably gone back to type. Um they've got some classy midfielders and they've got speed on the edges. So um look, we we know what they're gonna bring. Um, and I'd like to think our boys will be excited by the challenge.

SPEAKER_03 4:47

You mentioned the quick start-up at Newcastle is something similar needed this weekend to sort of get that flag in the ground and you know get you get your stall set out early.

SPEAKER_05 4:56

Yeah, I I think it's the old cliche, but even more so in the Prem, like I think that's every game. Um, you know, whether it's Sarres or Saints or Bath or or Exeter, that first 20 minutes is so important to get your rhythm and get opposition teams on the back foot, and if you can generate some scoreboard pressure early, it's crucial.

SPEAKER_03 5:12

Okay, Jason.

SPEAKER_05 5:13

Awesome, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 5:17

Jason uh obviously a brilliant uh performance at the uh the weekend, but it's uh most likely gonna be quite a step up against Exeter. They looked excellent against Bath, didn't they?

SPEAKER_05 5:28

Yeah, and and they've obviously um played some big games lately as well with um with Challenge Cup, so they're gonna have some good rhythm. Um that they've got a healthy squad and and they're in good form, so it's gonna be a good challenge for us.

SPEAKER_00 5:42

I remember you saying at the start of the season about that recruitment, a couple of Australians in particular, and just seeing Slade and Icatel at the weekend, that's gonna be um you know a good combo to uh to try and you know negate, I suppose.

SPEAKER_05 5:55

Yeah, and I think they fit them well. Obviously, Tom um probably suits how excellent I like to play in the forward pack. He's he's abrasive and he competes on every play. And Lenny just adds that class, doesn't he? Both sides of the ball. He's he's a good reader in defence and he's got good hands, um ability to run. So him him and Slade have formed a good combination.

SPEAKER_00 6:15

And they've obviously had that news recently about potential uh investment um coming in. I mean, given what happened with Newcastle as well. I mean, this uh quite exciting times for the Prem.

SPEAKER_05 6:27

Yeah, yeah, I I suppose so, mate. Um I I haven't read too much into their finances and ownership models and all of that type of thing, but um obviously the more um more clubs can stand up and and be financially sustainable, the better it is for the competition long term.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

Given uh the the team, I was looking at the team on on uh on the weekend for you. And from where you were at the start of the season at the end of last season, it I guess it it might be a bit of a silver line if you just how many players are coming through. And I know you've had a lot of injuries, and that's sort of part of the reason, I suppose, but you've got a lot of players in the in the pack that you know maybe a lot of supporters wouldn't have seen being in the team at this stage.

SPEAKER_05 7:07

Yeah, it's definitely a positive of um you know of the injuries that we've had. If you look at the way we finish, we had um you know, two 19-year-old front rowers in Jimmy Staples and Oli Streeter who'll go after the 20s World Cup post-tompetition, um, two 21-year-old locks in Johnny Green and Harry Brown, Seb Driscoll. Uh Sean Kerr's been playing well off the bench and starting against Bath. So those minutes are so crucial for where we want to head to in the next couple of seasons.

SPEAKER_00 7:35

And obviously, where where you are in the table that you've you've had a lot of a review this season about going forward, if you look at what Exeter have done in the last couple of seasons, you know, where they were, um, does that sort of make you sort of look at it and say, well, it is it is possible to change things reasonably quickly? I mean, we've seen it even with Leicester as well. You know, five years ago, they were at the bottom, they've they went to the top.

SPEAKER_05 7:59

Yeah, I think the two examples like Exeter probably battled with injury and fairness to them early last year, which got them off um on the back foot. Um, they recruited well. Um, they know their game plan, which they've recruited to. So I think that was a pretty obvious bounce back that they would have. Northampton, obviously, after winning it, had a poor Prem season last year, were good in Champions Cup. Um, but again, probably injury curtailed their momentum a little bit last year. So um look, just because they've bounced back doesn't mean that we're just gonna bounce back as well. We've got to make sure that we're generating that momentum, we're getting our program in order and we're running it as well as we can because it's just not simply going to happen. It's too hard of a league. But um, I'm really confident and firmly believe that you know we keep our best players on the park, um, we're strong with our recruitment, we're strong with our coaching and development of the lads that that will climb.

SPEAKER_00 8:52

And just finally from me, um, given the way that you are running in the tries at the weekend, um, how can you kind of bring that uh to f to the fore again against a team like Exeter who have been making it very difficult for teams of late because obviously the crowd will be um desperate for you to put on that kind of show again?

SPEAKER_05 9:11

Yeah, I I'd like to thank, I want to keep pushing this, um, respecting the ball. Like if we give Exeter too many cheap possessions in the wrong part of the field, they're gonna hurt you. Um, and when we've got the ball, we're not gonna not gonna create as many opportunities as what happened at Newcastle. We've just got to make sure that we're clinical with the chances that we get that we're maximising field position and scoreboard.

SPEAKER_00 9:33

Because you mentioned that Bristol game, and it did feel like at times you you maybe didn't get that protection of the ball that you were talking about. It got a bit loose, didn't it, that day?

SPEAKER_05 9:42

Yeah, and that's probably the nature of Bristol too. Like they like to play from everywhere, don't they? So um when when you play a Bristol, it probably is going to get a little bit loose at times. That's gonna be the nature of the game, whereas Exeter are probably a little bit more deliberate through their forward pack and kicking game um as well. So two two different styles, but equally two um too big opposition.

SPEAKER_00 10:05

Thanks a lot, Jason. Good luck.

SPEAKER_05 10:06

Thanks, Andy.

SPEAKER_04 10:11

Adam, do you want to jump in? Yeah, bye Jason.

SPEAKER_05 10:14

Hey Adam.

SPEAKER_04 10:15

Uh you mentioned a coup uh a couple of players maybe coming back. Where's Finn Baxter on his road?

SPEAKER_05 10:20

Yeah, he's still in Rhiah. He's working kind of in conjunction with the England rugby medical staff and ours as well. So um that there's all aims to potentially have him right for the last round um to get in minutes into the tour, but um it's almost a week by week prospect, so um he shouldn't be too far away. But I I'm not gonna lock him in and say he's definitely gonna play this game because um well we're not sure yet.

SPEAKER_04 10:46

Would he be going in with England next week? I mean, obviously you've got a week off.

SPEAKER_05 10:49

Yeah, I I I'd assume so.

SPEAKER_04 10:52

Okay. And on s on Sunday, um well, back to the point about cold water on Exeter's win by kind of saying that Quinn's always seemed to put on a show at Twicken, and where does where does that come from?

SPEAKER_05 11:03

Um I I think in general that is probably the reputation of the club. Like um the boys love a big occasion, they love a big game as well. So um I I know our boys will be motivated. Like I said, we were really disappointed with our big game at Christmas. We felt we let our club down, um, and we certainly don't want to do that twice.

SPEAKER_01 11:24

Thanks, mate.

SPEAKER_05 11:25

Thanks.

SPEAKER_01 11:28

Hi Jason, how you gonna mate?

SPEAKER_05 11:30

Good now yourself.

SPEAKER_01 11:32

Um getting over disappointment of football last night, but apart from that. Very good.

SPEAKER_05 11:38

Very good.

SPEAKER_01 11:40

Could I ask you about Caden Murley? Caden was the second highest drive score joint second highest drive scorer at the weekend. Uh didn't he with Mike Brown? I think he's got quite a long way to go behind Danny Kerr. Uh how keen is he gonna be in these last few weeks of the season?

SPEAKER_05 12:00

Yeah, it it's just not the last few weeks. It's it's Caden in general. He's got such a strong standing in our group, he's our vice captain. Um, he plays a strong role with our defensive leadership group, um, and he's such an amazing player. Like he's one of the best in the country, awesome finisher, um, great work ethic about him. So, look, we're we're really lucky to have Cades. Um, I'm excited where he can get to in the next couple of seasons. He's he's 26 now, so he's hitting that age that he's going to start to hit his peak. Um, there's still a little bit of room for improvement in him, but um look, he's so crucial for us.

SPEAKER_01 12:34

Where do you think he can go?

SPEAKER_05 12:37

I I think he can genuinely be the best left side winger in the country. Um I think he's got the out-and-out pace, um, he's got the toughness, he's got the work ethic, uh, he's got the desire. Um and like I said, I think he'll keep those attributes because he's so consistent in how he prepares himself. Um, and I think he's just got to get more exposure at the top level to feel more comfortable to show what he can actually do. So um I generally think he can be best in country.

SPEAKER_01 13:06

Because he kind of flies under the radar a little bit. Quite a lot's made of like some Manifea, Bozo, Freeman, and people like that. So he doesn't have a lot of pressure of expectation apart from what he puts on himself.

SPEAKER_05 13:21

Yeah, definitely. And and I think it's from a team point of view too. Um, like I said on the weekend, we're we're carrying the least at the moment in the competition, and it's hard to get the ball to your strike players if you're carrying the least. And with Freeman, Saints dominate possession, um, you know, Exeter find the ball for Manny as well. So I I think for us as a team, we have to use the ball well for our strike players to get the ball more, and I think when Caden gets more ball, um, that's when he can shine even more so.

SPEAKER_01 13:52

And uh just on the game at the weekend, you must have been quite disappointed to see Lenny Icato start to find a bit of form against Berth.

SPEAKER_05 14:01

Uh, he's a good boy of um of coach Lenny a fair bit back home. Um, yeah, he is a quality player. Um, definitely know what's coming with Lenny, but um look, he is a key cog in their attack.

SPEAKER_01 14:14

What do you have to do to keep him quiet?

SPEAKER_05 14:16

I I think you've just got to be careful that you're not trying to do your second job. Like Lenny's got such good hands, he can dummy, he can show and go, he's got a really strong fend. You just got to make sure first and foremost um that you're putting body in front, taking away his time and space. If you start to get a little bit too cute and take your eyes off him, that's when you would do damage.

SPEAKER_01 14:35

Yeah, but I think the last time he played at Twickenham, I think he inspired Australia to a victory against England, didn't he?

SPEAKER_05 14:42

Yeah, I think he threw that final pass for Julgo uh for the win, so he is he's a good player.

SPEAKER_01 14:47

Well, thank you very much and did keep on smiling.

SPEAKER_05 14:50

Yeah, thank you.

SPEAKER_02 14:53

Right, Joe. Um, just uh a few quick ones from me. Um you mentioned how you know your last three games you you're almost in a kingmaker role in terms of that getting the playoffs, Exeter, Sarres, and also Northampton. Three competitive games because three teams all chasing something that likewise with yourself. You know, how how exciting is it to sort of be in that position at the end of the season where you know you could have a significant impact on the table still and hopefully obviously make the top eight?

SPEAKER_05 15:20

Yeah, I I think with a well we've spoken a lot about it. Who can we wreck in terms of getting into the top four, but more importantly, getting our game on the park before we break before the end of the season. We we want to play good rugby, we want to develop our game, and if we do that, then we know we can put in good performances against these teams. Um, so that that's probably the priority for us at the moment is just ensuring our game is right because those teams aren't just gonna fall over, like they're quality teams and they're at the pointy end of the table. So we're under no illusion they're just gonna you know turn up their toes and give up uh an easy loss. That's just not gonna happen.

SPEAKER_02 15:58

And and you have just touched on it there. How important is it these last three games of the season as a sort of you know to build a platform to go into next season, you know, obviously from your point of view, hopefully in the top eight, but having put on three you know good performances against three teams that have done well this year.

SPEAKER_05 16:13

Yeah, it's massive, and it's what we said before too. The boys are giving a chance to your Sebdrich schools and your Johnny Greens and your Jimmy Staples. Like, this is a good opportunity for them to test themselves against top four teams. So the confidence that they'll get in themselves if they can perform and handle it, which I'm sure they will, um, when they break for the preseason, they know that they've got games under their belts against quality opposition that they've done well in.

SPEAKER_02 16:36

And finally, just from your point of view, just talk me through what it's like to you know to come out at the Allianz and what the atmosphere will be like and how important that will be for Quinn's uh in this game.

SPEAKER_05 16:46

Yeah, our boys get a real buzz for it, um just like our supporters as well. And um they're they're games that the boys want to be selected in, they want to play in. It's obviously the home of rugby. Everyone around the world, um, that would be the one ground that you want to play at. So our boys are no different. Whether they've played there a lot or they haven't played there before, we we generally get excited by it. And like I said, I I thought we missed the opportunity against Bristol to put on a good display, and that that one stings. So we want to make sure that we're putting out a good performance.

SPEAKER_02 17:16

Excellent. Thank you, Jason, and good luck for us this year.

SPEAKER_05 17:18

Thanks, Matt.

SPEAKER_02 17:19

Perfect.

SPEAKER_00 17:20

Thank you very much, guys.

SPEAKER_05 17:22

Appreciate that.