How Harlequins’ staff got the team firing on all cylinders ahead of their semi-final with Bristol

What happens when you gather the Englishman, Irishman, Welshman, Australian and New Zealander?

Back in January that might have been the start of a joke for Harlequins – a club lacking direction and once again languishing in mid-table – but now their coaching committee is determined to have the last laugh.

After parting ways with former England coach Paul Gustard, six months later the league’s swashbuckling all-court jesters are two wins from the title, playing in their first semi-final since 2014 on Saturday against Bristol.

Harlequins, who are without a head coach, are just two wins away from winning the title

With no head coach it has fallen on Welsh prop Adam Jones, All Black fly-half Nick Evans, Irish hooker Jerry Flannery and Mancunian 32-year-old Charlie Mulchrone, under the guidance of general manager Aussie Billy Millard, to turn Quins around. 

Sportsmail’s WILL KELLEHER caught up with the coaches who explained how they have done it – via brownie mornings, development sessions with an Army Major and a return to the Quins attacking DNA.

Jerry Flannery (right) and Mancunian Charlie Mulchrone (left) also spoke with Sportsmail

Jerry Flannery (right) and Mancunian Charlie Mulchrone (left) also spoke with Sportsmail

Paul Gustard left on January 20; how did you go about turning things around from there?

JONES (scrum coach): We had a meeting where we said ‘we can either buy in quickly or not’.

EVANS (attack & backs coach): We wanted to tap back into the DNA of what we are as a club. I came through Quins’ system as a player from 2008, so it was about re-aligning to that, while keeping a lot of what was implemented by Gussy (Paul Gustard).

MULCHRONE (skills & kicking coach): It was bringing back some empowerment to the boys. We’re an attack minded team, so it was how we gift-wrapped ideas for the players, selling it to them as an attacking option if we kicked, for example. The players have been outstanding.

FLANNERY (lineout & defence coach): We shortened meetings, simplified messages, built training around how we want to play and I think the players bought in and were happy then.

Former England head coach Paul Gustard left Harlequins on January 20

Former England head coach Paul Gustard left Harlequins on January 20

How have you managed as young coaches together on a committee – making decisions, picking teams – without one overarching head coach?

JONES: We trust each others’ judgement, which is a big thing. We’ve not had that many heated arguments around selection. We’ll discuss if there’s a 50-50 call, and Billy chucks his two penny-worth, giving us feedback and guidance. It’s been a seamless transition.

MULCHRONE: Billy’s very much like the Ted Lasso character (the upbeat American comedy character who coaches a fictional Premier League football team). That guy, but with an Australian accent!

JONES: There are no pr**** here, we all get on well, which makes it much easier. We’ve done a profile on each other, to know what makes each other tick, when to be intense, when to pull back.

EVANS: I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s been fun to come to training, and work with these guys. The trust we have, and leadership from the senior players, we all work and problem solve together. Monday meetings allow feedback to go round the club so we’re all aligned. That’s come through in the last couple of months. It’s enjoying ourselves too – Charlie gives us games to do, Billy comes up with stinking jokes, it’s good.

Quins general manager Billy Millard has jokingly drawn comparisons to fictional comedy character Ted Lasso (right)

Quins general manager Billy Millard has jokingly drawn comparisons to fictional comedy character Ted Lasso (right)

What are those games Charlie?

MULCHRONE: They’re just mind-teasers for the morning. Jerry is very good to the aged six to 12 year-old ones, then lacks after that! Bomb (Jones) likes the music rounds, and Snapper (Evans) likes anything to do with fish and sharks, that’s about his limit..! Billy generally seems to struggle…

Jerry, you’ve been here the shortest amount of time, having joined from Munster last year, and have spent time previously as a strength & conditioning coach at Arsenal – how has Quins compared?

FLANNERY: Football was very different. There was a lack of accountability, whereas in rugby no one player can make a team win, it takes everyone pulling their weight. When there was a vacuum of power when Paul left everyone had to own their area a little more. We’re all conscious of staying in our lane letting whoever is in charge of an individual area own it, but everyone will jump in and help on other areas if needed. It’s different to Munster as the playing group isn’t as diverse. Here there is a vast range of personalities.

Andy Sanger (a former Army Major, now Quins’ player development manager) deserves a lot of credit. In Covid, and with new players, it takes a long time to bond. Bar Toulon the teams that have been successful recently – Saracens, Exeter, Leinster, and Toulouse – they’re teams that have been together a long time, forged through the academy, whereas we’ve had a lot of turnover. To get the players coming together and building a strong environment in Covid was difficult, but Andy has done some great work on that.

I’ve never come across a club that looks after their players as much as Harlequins. If your players are happy it makes your job as a coach a lot easier.

Jerry Flannery insists there is a lack of accountability in football following his time as a strength and conditioning coach at Arsenal

Jerry Flannery insists there is a lack of accountability in football following his time as a strength and conditioning coach at Arsenal

How did you accelerate that bonding process then?

MULCHRONE: We have brownies and coffees every Tuesday together, last week we had a BBQ and played cricket – the weather helps. Graeme Bowerbank, our team manager, has sorted a fish & chip and a Jolly Hog sausage van too from our former player Olly Kohn. It doesn’t seem massive but it’s an opportunity for people to get together, get outside, have a chat. When you finish training the temptation is just to go home, but if you can get outside and talk it creates bonds.

JONES: When Gussy was here pre-Covid we had trips to Ibiza and Amsterdam, so it’s always been a thought to do socials, not just to go out on the p*** but to come together as a group. It’s a bit easier with less to do outside the club. It’s added to the vibe here.

On the field the turnaround has been remarkable. Before Gustard left you had won two of seven games, and scored 21 points per match, since it’s 12 wins from 17 scoring 34 points per match. When did you feel it click?

FLANNERY: We were missing a lot of players at the start of the season, but when the change happened we had all our best players available, and our opponents didn’t through international call ups and injury. We had a Goldilocks period, and I don’t think others saw us coming. They might have thought ‘they’ve just changed coach, they’re going to be in disarray’ but we won four of our first five. Billy would say to us then ‘when we lose, what will you change?’ and there was nothing – we were happy with what we were doing, and so when we did lose to Newcastle and Exeter in February and March we didn’t panic. The players have had more and more impact, are more empowered and have more responsibility for what they do on the field. It can go two ways when you fire a head coach, it falls apart or people rally round. We’ve been lucky the latter has happened.

Harlequins are now firing on all cylinders and have won 12 out of 17 games since Gustard left

Harlequins are now firing on all cylinders and have won 12 out of 17 games since Gustard left

Your most celebrated trio are No 8 Alex Dombrandt, scrum-half Danny Care and fly-half Marcus Smith – how delighted are you that they’ve dovetailed so well?

EVANS: They’ve been given the ability to play through a good set-piece foundation from the likes of props Joe Marler and Wilco Louw. They epitomise everything this club stands for – it was about not putting them in a box, or a restrictive structure. They’ve allowed us to inject the Quins DNA into how we play. It’s been enjoyable, which is important too.

Bristol finished top of the table but you ran them close, losing 35-33 in the last minute at Ashton Gate in March. Are they beatable on Saturday? And how will go about stopping star centre Semi Radradra?

FLANNERY: Billy’s going to have a sniper rifle, and stand on the roof! That’s our plan for Semi!!

What they’ve done since promotion in 2018 is pretty phenomenal. Their owner Steve Lansdown has spent huge money on the stadium, the team, they’ve come up and played a great brand of rugby with some of the best rugby players in the world, have delivered. We’re under no illusions we’re the underdogs. They want to pay off the investment they’ve put in and win the Prem. We’ll give it our best crack, and if Billy’s aim is good we’ll be in the mix!

JONES: Of course they’re beatable. They’re the best team in the league, massive favourites, but they’re beatable. Even though we lost there it gave the team massive confidence as we should have won. In semi-finals all bets are off, butt.

Quins will need to stop Bristol's star centre Semi Radradra (right) if they are to reach the final

Quins will need to stop Bristol’s star centre Semi Radradra (right) if they are to reach the final

If this coaching committee wins the league, do you really need a head coach?!

MULCHRONE: Oh, sorry, your Zoom signal has gone! We’ll pass on that question!

JONES: Billy has done a great job father figuring us. We’ve had a nice experience, but whether there’s a new head coach or not we’ll wait and see this summer.

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