Scotland coaching role for ex-Kingsholm supremo
FORMER Gloucester boss Dean Ryan is back in frontline coaching for the first time since leaving Kingsholm – with Scotland.
The ex-England number eight has taken up a 12-week contract as interim forwards coach north of the border, to work under temporary Scotland boss Scott Johnson for the course of the forthcoming Six Nations.
Still based in Cheltenham, Ryan has mixed his Sky Sports punditry with a number of consultancy roles at clubs since leaving Kingsholm in 2009.
Ryan offered his expertise to Old Patesians in the pre-season, while his latest role has been with Newport Gwent Dragons in Wales.
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But this international task is his first major coaching job since his unceremonious Kingsholm exit.
Former Bristol boss and Wasps loose forward Ryan explained: "I've responded to an invitation from Scott (Johnson) to assist the Scotland management team over the next 12 weeks and will look to bring my experience to bear to give Scotland players the best opportunity to represent their country in the best way."
Scotland's interim forwards coach is Stevie Scott, the man dumped out of Sale Sharks' revamped set-up earlier this season, while defence coach Matt Taylor and specialist coaches Duncan Hodge and Massimo Cuttita continue in the management line-up too.
Since leaving Kingsholm Ryan has had plenty of opportunity to return to frontline coaching full-time, but still seems slightly reticent to do so.
While this new role remains a short-term arrangement at this stage, should it prove successful there will be no barrier to him continuing permanently.
After taking the Kingsholm helm in 2005 Ryan guided Gloucester to the Premiership final in 2007 – only for his side to be overrun 44-16 by Leicester.
The Cherry and Whites lost their Premiership semi-final against Leicester in 2008, but despite all the promise and the near-misses Ryan's tenure unravelled a year later.
A hefty 50-12 defeat to Cardiff Blues in the Anglo-Welsh Cup final ultimately cost Ryan his job at Gloucester, but now – nearly four years on – he makes his first return to top-line coaching.
Comments
by SimonGray
Sunday, January 06 2013, 11:22AM
“Rupert Harden is ND's first choice at tight head. The Gloucester Rugby hating troll, Autotroll's knowledge on rugby players pales into insignificance compared to Nigel's. When ND selects Harden to start, you know that that is the right choice.”
by SidGlawsder
Sunday, January 06 2013, 11:13AM
“Nigel Davies says it all by selecting Rupert Harden to start when he is fit. There is no one pushing Harden for the starting shirt. Nine Premiership starts tells you that.”
by RoryGlaws
Sunday, January 06 2013, 11:08AM
“Let's get the record straight here, Rupert Harden is the first choice of the Gloucester DoR. Now I know that the multi-named troll, Autotroll, likes to think he knows more than Nigel Davies about rugby but let me give him the facts... HE DOESN'T!”
by seanbulling
Sunday, January 06 2013, 11:05AM
“Harden has started nine Premiership games this season. The others he has missed because of injury. Nigel Davies, the chap who earns his money from knowing what is what when it comes to rugby union, certainly knows which of his tight-head props is his first choice.”
by Karbonn
Sunday, January 06 2013, 10:59AM
“Gloucester Rugby's starting tight head + Gloucester Rugby's best tight head = RUPERT HARDEN.”
by RoccoAgain
Sunday, January 06 2013, 10:54AM
“I really hope Rupert is fit again to start against the French next weekend. We don't want to go into that game with an underpowered scrum as we did against Irish yesterday and hence the inevitable defeat.”
by walker1105
Sunday, January 06 2013, 10:50AM
“Thankfully we had Dan Murphy followed by Nick Wood to hold the front row together on the loose side but Harden's physical presence was sorely missed at tighthead yesterday.”
by Straw90
Sunday, January 06 2013, 10:43AM
“I hope Harden is back soon. The scrum has seriously struggled without him.”
by Buggsie
Sunday, January 06 2013, 10:39AM
“Autotroll is the same clueless troll as Glawsteruk1 and Kap721, etc. He has a big downer on Harden because Nigel Davies keeps on starting him and thus proves the troll completely wrong about who the best tight-head prop at Gloucester is.”
by CamCampbell
Sunday, January 06 2013, 10:29AM
“That shows how clueless you are, troll. Why don't you get along to Kingsholm for once and see just how good a tight head he is.”