The Masterplan | English Rugby's DNA with Conor O'Shea | For The Love Of Rugby Podcast

[@MrCravendish]

Why all the gloomy comments? Yes there are significant challenges for rugby in England but there is a lot of hope too. O'Shea is a very smart guy, if we can have more like him in the RFU we have a chance

[@JohnRidley12]

Wish RFU would have Conner give more interviews. Thier press releases are so bland and cryptic at the same time. Much better to hear him explain it

[@billbonnington7916]

If you want England to have the best club system in the world, you'd better start doing something about it. Clubs are going to the wall on a regular basis, you have junior sides travelling 2, 3 and 4 hours for away fixtures because the league set up is so poorly managed, dozens of walkovers every week, and a philosophical chasm exists between the pro game and the rest. Public schools are still the most influential way through to top class rugby in England, we need to support the grass roots in a far more professional way.

[@stiofain88]

Was quite jealous when Conor O'Shea took the England job. I know we technically took Farrell and Lancaster but it would have been great to get that experience back in the Irish system.

[@rowarth12]

really enjoyable. One of best episodes yet.

[@22grena]

I think many of the snarky comments about Conor are because he is Irish.

[@kenrehill8775]

If Conor (borough road lad!) can do for English rugby what he did for Italian rugby, it would be great. The current success of Italian rugby is purely down to his time there. Sadly the Rfu probably won’t allow him to do what needs to be done.

[@maxcoppel5486]

Let’s get that Emeka Ilione on!

[@tyronematthews7480]

So surely - All Grassroots clubs, ahould be feeders to Championship Clubs - To feed Prem Clubs - In both directions!!

[@Markwhoami]

Getting England back to the top of the pyramid…? Bringing back the England A’s is good start. But add Central contracts for the elite group, puts less pressure on clubs. Max foreign players of 2 per team. Increasing home grown players that can be prepped for the elite game (NZ and Ireland have this) it also allows the international players to be rested so they are ready for the big tournaments and it increases depth of Englands squads with more English players playing regularly in club teams. Allow English players playing overseas to be eligible to play for England. Support for grassroots rugby needs to be much better let them feed the lower leagues new players. Bring more razzmatazz to the game, music, singing, pyrotechnics, crowd involvement. Swing low is great but there should be more songs and chants. Great pod, a little waffly.. like me lol cheers 👍✌️

[@jc15394]

coley wearing a pair of shoes you would paint your garage in

[@BenRelle]

For the love of rugby drinking game - drink 2 fingers every time Dan Cole says 'regard'

[@specialistcarmarketing]

I couldn't figure out if it piffle or waffle. Talking about bringing young players through, it would be nice for Youngs and Cole to admit (commenable as it is to them) that their extended selection is part of the problem.

[@toma411]

@@specialistcarmarketing Young's isn't selected anymore lol, and there is a particular dearth of international potential talent at tighthead, that's why Dan is still selected. They're not the problem lol

[@limbothytimothy]

You weren't listening to him. He openly praised the Springboks' (2-time world cup winning) Pack for their age profile and longevity. He repeatedly said the aim is to have a cohesive unit of players who have the longevity to do back-to-back campaigns together

[@kevinbaxter7390]

EDDIE BORTHWICK playing safe imo! WORLD CUP FEW YEARS AWAY, and can’t see the likes of COLE MARLER being in contention albeit awesome players. Props have evolved not just Scrummaging but all around the park game. Least take Afo Fasogbon Asher Opoku-Fordjour. TOM WILLIS 8 RIPPING UP TREES . Take above for experience and some minutes. Think Squad is picked on obviously first not losing,however personally theres a bigger picture than results atm. Daly Slade really a safe choice not a bold choice

[@ianb2481]

I got the feeling from this that the RFU has zero interest in growing the game in the state education sector - where 93% of children are educated.

[@josht7385]

Coming back to this now after a terrible autumn nations is hilarious. England have been pathetic

[@mattpotter8725]

I know he has to say all the positive things the RFU bigwigs want him to say, and he will want to say to keep his position and not put noses out of joint, but is he really saying everything is fine, nothing to see here, nothing has to change? What I took out of this is he's saying that we can't do things like Ireland or NZ, but that's fine because we have great coaches in the Premiership and that means it will all fix itself over time? Forgive me if I don't think this is a strategy, or am I missing something?

[@MrGitBoy]

I love Dan Cole... But he needs to learn how to ask a question

[@kenrehill8775]

Come on mate, he’s a prop.

[@MrGitBoy]

@@kenrehill8775 fair point. I'll lower my expectations 😂

[@Camcolito]

@@kenrehill8775 Hehe

[@denisg4288]

You can see the wheels turning but he just doesn’t articulate his thoughts. Not a criticism, an observation.

[@DM-rp9ik]

Have always heard this line on England having an abundance of talent, but what does it actually mean. Like talented compared to who Wales and Scotland? Italy, who are coming up fast on the rails? PR bullshit surely

[@tomsh8787]

Since 2013 England have won the annual u20 World Cup four times and been runner up a further three.

[@DM-rp9ik]

@tomsh8787 Sure but u20s is pointless if you can't turn them into international rugby players like look at South Africa never or rarely win the u20 championship but produce the most international level players

[@tomsh8787]

@@DM-rp9ik agree but isn’t that very much the point here. We’ve clearly got the great talent at junior level. O’Shea’s job is making sure we get better at translating it into success at senior level which clearly it hasn’t done as well as it could do before

[@DM-rp9ik]

@tomsh8787 Ah, it's never that simple. Some of the best u20 players I've seen turned out to be mid level professionals. Some players can just be a bit further ahead physically or skill set wise than the rest of that age group at the time. They just had their ceiling a bit earlier than many.

[@tomsh8787]

@@DM-rp9ik definitely true in individual cases, but can’t see a reason why as a general rule England should be worse than everyone else at converting u20 players to senior players.

[@DavidShort-q1d]

The pathway for young talent is never going to be perfect As people are very different and need different things at different times It would help alot if the RFU actually had control of their players As they do in Ireland and New Zealand What would help alot is to have two academy leagues with all the premiership clubs and the British URC clubs That would give our young talent 38 matches per year and with it being junior and senior [based on age] We can integrate U18s and U20s international competitions maybe have a junior U18 EWC someday ?? Along 2ith the current U20s What also would help is having a French style [and enforced] ENGLAND QUALIFIED PLAYER system So the premiership clubs actually play English young talent Rather than bring in a S.African or N.Zealander As they have in the pastAs for the RED ROSES [England Women] they are undoubtedly the GOAT of all rugby union teams [men or women] So having the coaching staff take alot of the pressure off the girls at next years WRWC will be awesome

[@nickjohnjames30]

While I’m enjoying this podcast, this episode felt more like a superficial defense of his role and, by extension, his salary

[@stevekay528]

Been in the post for several years and achieved exactly what ?

[@kenrehill8775]

Not a bad point, but look at Italy now. What you never saw was what Conor was creating in Italy during his time there, but you now see the results. He created an entire structure from schools to senior international. He’s genuinely brilliant. But you ask the question: why do you think he’s not able to do what he did in Italy, in England? I’m afraid it’s the same old three letters, every time.

[@06alepea1]

O’Shea had a lot of work to do after Dean Ryan gutted the age group system of coaches and staff

[@tyronematthews7480]

I would have asked, how much does politics get in the way? How much does he hate the politics in the rfu!!

[@kenrehill8775]

I was at borough road with him, he’ll be hating the politics.

[@MoerseBokbaas1]

😂English running Ireland and Irish running Ireland 😂😂..Scots with Reject Saffas 😂Wales with a NZ coach Laughble ..

[@LeMerch]

Irish & English are very closely linked by family etc. it’s not unusual to see this. Not sure how that’s ‘laughable’?

[@Steve-gr6jm]

​@@LeMerch When you're from a country that can't even run an electricity grid everything is pretty funny.

[@LeMerch]

@@Steve-gr6jm what?

[@Steve-gr6jm]

@@LeMerch I'm calling South Africa's electrical infrastructure laughable. Would have assumed you had heard it doesn't work down there.

[@eugeneduplessis140]

Everyone has a plan until rhe bomb sqaud runs onto the field.

[@brizzleb-n2r]

Your Springboks won't keep dominating forever, I for one will be pleased when you guys can eat some humble pie

[@eugeneduplessis140]

@@brizzleb-n2r until then.... 🏆🏆🏆🏆... And 🏆

[@AlexKing-qn8ri]

So needy

[@06alepea1]

Christ not everything is about SA.

[@Ufficine]

Too many words for too little meaning. Get to the point!

[@mattg6902]

get innovative coaches.......ones who push the barriers, connor is so bland sitting in his comfortable role like all RFU stooges....... mediocrity

[@mattg6902]

RFU man talking bollocks!

[@kenrehill8775]

And yet Italys current success is purely down to him.

[@jameskynge4757]

Strangely unconvincing interview. Got easy questions and sort of flanneled his way through. He’s in charge of systems but spent most of his time talking about individuals.

[@toma411]

Don't think it was ever supposed to be a confrontational style interview. I thought it was an interesting listen myself.

[@elliotnewmarch8921]

This isnt the Frost Nixon interview.. found it interesting and some good explanations, yes some soft soap but thats the RFU, just love his passion for the game.

[@jakemiddleton5266]

If you think about it England men's U18s won their 6 nations, U20s won the world cup, Red Roses have lost one game in 6 years, and England men got 3rd in the last world cup - despite having to change head coach going into 2023. Feels to me that, despite all the negativity (some of it warranted - much of it just negative moaning that has crept into the game), England international teams and pathway are in a really good place at the moment. So what do you want to grill him about?

[@Swaps123]

😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😅 England Rugby DNA???????? VERY FUNNY 😅😅😅😅😅😅 ENGLAND RUGBY HAVE NO DNA....WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU ON ABOUT. 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅...SO FRICKING FUNNY..

[@Steve-gr6jm]

Your DNA clearly hasn't evolved much from the apes. Maybe come back and comment once it has.

[@mattg6902]

connor o shea ...."mr metaphor"..........he is so dull, so predictable and lacking in charisma

[@austinarsenault9040]

Basically a whole lot of nothing interview . What the heck are these systems , they aren’t working obviously.

[@neilcarpenter2669]

Well they are working as we've just won the under 20 s World cup and the current system has only been in place for a few years you would have to be blind or ignorant not to see the talent that is starting to come through since the overhaul of the system in recent times . English rugby is on an upward trajectory and is only going to get stronger in the next few years.

[@DM-rp9ik]

They are in some places. I mean, England have so many players they have to get it right sometimes, but the front row and 12 seem to be the new problem areas like the old back row problem post 2003 to 2015