Tait outlines Newcastle challenge
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:37
Newcastle's new assistant coach Alan Tait has spoken of the challenge facing him as he returns for a second spell at Kingston Park, having helped the Falcons to Premiership glory a decade ago as a player.
The dual-code Lions international was instrumental in the 1998 Premiership triumph with 18 starts that season, but having been installed on the club's coaching staff the hard-hitting and straight-talking Scot is now masterminding the defensive strategy for the current crop.
Greeted by a stadium unrecognisable from that which he left nine years ago, looking back to his own playing days in the North-East he says: "I have absolutely fantastic memories of my time here, with a very special group of people and outstanding supporters.
"I wish in those days we'd had the facilities and quality of pitch that these boys have at the moment rather than the portakabins, tents and force ten gales, but looking back it was an exciting time to be involved with the club. Winning the Premiership at our first attempt was remarkable, no club has come close to doing it since, and we'd all love to bring those days back in the long run."
Capped as a youngster by Scotland, Tait then turned his hand to Rugby League with Widnes and Leeds, where a glittering career in the 13-man code saw him win 16 caps for Great Britain before the lure of Rugby Union enticed him back.
"It was the very start of professionalism in union, and I think the Falcons made a very shrewd move in going to Rugby League for the likes of Inga Tuigamala, John Bentley and myself," he says.
"We had all been professionals for a number of years already and brought that mindset with us in to training, which Rugby Union had never had at the time. We got our rewards for the work we put in, and you obviously can't look past the fact it was just a quality group of players who worked hard."
Upon retiring from playing, Tait was thrown in to the lions' den of international coaching right from the off, and admits himself that it was too much too soon.
"It was difficult at first, because I was only two months retired as a player when I got the offer from Ian McGeechan to coach defence with the Scotland national team," he says.
"To start off your coaching career at international level was a very tough learning curve, partly because I had no coaching experience, and secondly because defence coaches in Rugby Union were pretty much unheard of at that time. There was no precedent, nobody to show you how it should be done or to monitor and evaluate your progress. Nobody mentored you or asked you how you were getting on, because I don't think they even knew what a defence coach actually did, and it was really a case of learning on the job.
"The best thing that could have happened to me, ironically, was when I was relieved of my duties by Matt Williams when he took over with Scotland, because what that gave me was the opportunity to work day in, day out with a club side at Borders. I was glad to get the chance to work with Steve Bates, in what were admittedly difficult circumstances at Borders, and the two years there benefited me hugely when I went back to the national team.
"Personally I think I did a better job the second time round, and winning two Calcutta Cups against England was a great achievement for us. It's very challenging up there because there is such a small number of professional players to choose from, but I felt as if we were making progress with the way we defended in the World Cup last year, in reaching the quarterfinals.
"I look back on that quarterfinal against Argentina with an enormous amount of frustration, because if we'd been a bit bolder they were there for the taking. That was a big opportunity missed, but on the defensive side that tournament had some of the best defence I've ever seen from a Scottish side. That was because we had time to work with the players, and the exciting thing at Newcastle is that I now have that daily contact with the players that you always dream of at international level."
Having made the agonising decision to swap Murrayfield for Kingston Park, he says: "It was a very difficult choice for me to leave Scotland after eight years there, because we'd all invested so much in to it.
"I still believe that they will come good with the quality of players just about to reach their prime, and I'll take great delight in watching them progress to the next level over the coming seasons."
Now almost a month in to his new post at Kingston Park following Scotland's mid-year tour to Argentina, Tait spells out his mission statement in unequivocal terms, stating: "I take defence very, very seriously, because it's such a massive part of the modern game.
"I study it long and hard, and when I watch a game I must be so annoying because all everybody else wants to talk about is attack.
"Unfortunately Newcastle's record in defence has been very poor. Last season, if you discount Leeds who got relegated, we conceded the most tries and the most points in the league, and scored the least tries and the least points. Those are facts in black and white, you can't argue with them or make excuses. The supporters who pay their money every week can see it, we can't shirk away from it at all, but what we can do through a lot of hard work is put it right.
"The boys are putting that work in as we speak, with myself and Stuart Grimes joining the coaching team, and we will be making big changes to the way this team defends.
"The early part of pre-season is reserved for mainly strength and conditioning, but now we're starting to get stuck in to the rugby sessions and really gauging what this group of players is made of. They all have a clean sheet with me, and this next few weeks is a very exciting time as I see first hand what they are about."
Certainly not one to pull his punches, it is with a typically abrasive edge that he says: "I'm not just here as a dictator, but I can safely say that some of these lads are in for a shock.
"I take defence extremely seriously, and when I pull up a mistake from a player, put it this way, I'm not often wrong.
"It's never personal when I pick them up on it, it's always for the good of the team. I just want to win. I'm not here to be their mate, they just have to do it the way I want it done, take it on the chin and get on with it. We'll see how the players react, that's all to come, but I know that my way of working will be a big change for some of these boys."
Expanding on his area of expertise, Tait adds: "There isn't just one way to defend in rugby. I have different ideas to other coaches, but the main thing that needs to change first is just the attitude towards defending. If we can get that right for starters, then we have a good base to build from, and that is my first task.
"I've watched all the games from last season, some in person when I've snuck in to Kingston Park, and the rest on tape, and we will certainly be changing the way our defence operates. I'm not going to go in to details on that in a public forum, that stays in the changing room, but major changes like these take time. If we can make this group of players difficult to play and score against, then we are in pretty good shape."
Having experienced rugby on both sides of the border, he says of his new Guinness Premiership challenge: "What this tournament has over the Celtic [Magners] League is the absolutely relentless week in, week out intensity.
"Don't get me wrong, this isn't a dig at the Celtic competition at all, but you just get the sense that the Premiership is a more full-on competition with extremely tough games every single week, and no let-up at all. Because of no relegation threat I think there is more expansive rugby played in the Celtic League, and you can see in Europe when the Celtic teams play the Premiership sides and throw the ball around, often the English defences start to panic and crumble because they're not used to that style of play.
"Many of the Premiership clubs are very set in their ways, but the law changes this season will have a big impact which I think is positive for the competition. More teams will come out and play rugby in England this season, and I think everyone involved in the game should be excited by that."
Revealing his first impressions having taken up office in the last few weeks, Tait highlights the club's thriving academy as a major positive, stating: "What I've been pleased with since my arrival here is the quality of the youngsters in the Falcons set-up.
"There are some outstanding young players here, many already pushing hard for selection, and it will be interesting to see how they come on over time."
But with the first team having been among the early favourites in some betting circles for the dreaded drop, in typically blunt fashion he refuses to bury his head in the sand.
"I'd be a bit of a liar and a hypocrite if I said the bookies didn't know what they were talking about, because I used to run greyhounds, and these bookmakers are usually pretty spot-on when it comes to setting the odds," he says.
"We know our targets, we've had a series of meetings with the players and who knows where we'll finish in May, but what we all know even at this stage is that we can't afford to finish bottom.
"I'm not a daydream believer sitting here saying we'll win Championships this season, but I know for certain that this group of players has the passion and commitment to change things round and succeed. Be certain about that. We know what people are saying about us, and they have every right to express their opinion, but believe me when I say the desire and determination in this squad is huge."
With new signings Adam Balding and Spencer Davey already in the setup, and Tane Tu'ipulotu due over on November 1, Tait also reveals that the club's recruitment plans may utilise his extensive knowledge of the 13-man game as they look to finalise their squad for the big kick-off in September.
"Rob Andrew was very clever in bringing in Rugby League players back over in the 90s, and if you can choose the right ones then I think they can make a big contribution in certain positions," he says.
"I'll make no secret about the fact we are actively looking to recruit from there at the moment. We are being really specific about the type of player we want and the position he will play, that process is ongoing right now and we are very encouraged by the response we've had."
