'Sometimes in life you have to take a little bit of a risk' David Humphreys shocked Irish rugby when he left Ulster for Gloucester. He tells Ruaidhri O'Connor that the time was right to move
IT'S A question about whether David Humphreys left Ulster to force himself out of his comfort zone that makes the Gloucester director of rugby most uncomfortable.
The former Ireland fly-half is ostensibly on the other end of the line to talk about tomorrow's Challenge Cup quarter-final between his side and Connacht, but his first meeting with an Irish side since his shock exit from his beloved home province means the topic is unavoidable.
Humphreys was the driving force behind Ulster's Heineken Cup win in 1999 as a player. When he retired in 2008 he set about restoring the northern province to those heights as operations director and then director of rugby.
Although silverware wasn't won, he helped oversee the complete transformation of a team who reached the Heineken Cup and Pro12 finals and were unlucky to come across a Leinster team at their very peak.
And then, last summer, he dropped a bombshell and moved to the West Country, leaving Ulster stunned. Ten months on, the sight of the 72-times capped Ireland star in the stands at Aviva Premiership games remains a strange one, but he felt the offer to change scenery came at the right time.
"I'm not sure it necessarily took me out of my comfort zone, it was a challenge and it was unexpected for me. The opportunity arose and it wasn't something that I'd been planning to do, it wasn't something I was looking for," he recalls, after a long pause, of a hectic summer.
"It came up at very short notice and I just felt it was the right time for the club and for me to make that change. I think that you could say I was moving out of my comfort zone, but at the same time I look at it very much as a different challenge.
"As a player I spent a long time playing at Ulster. Looking back, I don't regret it at all. I had the best years of my life playing rugby there but I wonder what it would have been like to challenge myself in a different environment. So, when this opportunity came along I felt this was the right one and I'm keen to expand my experience."
That experience has been mixed to date. Gloucester are currently sitting fourth from bottom in the Premiership after winning seven out of 18 games.
Things have gone better in the Challenge Cup where they sailed through the pool stages with a 100pc record. The secondary competition remains the club's last chance of silverware this season and only route to next season's Champions Cup.
Humphreys (right) sees his time at Kingsholm as a long-term project to revive the historically successful Cherry and Whites even if things haven't quite gone to plan.
"I've thoroughly enjoyed the change of environment, I was with Ulster a very long time and for both the club and for me it was a good time to make that change," he said.
"They are a club that have great ambition and the group of players that are here, they're good to work with and they're desperate for success - they're young and enthusiastic.
"So, it's been a good time to come here, there has been a lot of changes across the summer - 26 new players, six or seven new coaching staff coming in so it's been about getting to know people, how everything works and what makes them tick both on and off the pitch and that takes time."
The role remains similar to the one he held previously, while the task is a familiar one too. Overseeing a coaching staff that includes former Munster forwards coach Laurie Fisher, Humphreys is the figurehead.
"The role at Ulster evolved," he explained. "When I first started I certainly didn't envisage getting to the point where I finished up and the role that I finished with at Ulster was probably quite similar to the one that I'm doing over here, but again it's within a very different structure.
"It is not under the same control that the union would have had, that's not necessarily a bad thing, just it's a different structure and the club's run a different way. It's different to the Ulster role, but there are still major parts that are the same.
"Gloucester have a similar squad to the one Ulster did back in 2008, but the game has evolved off the field from a commercial point of view, a funding point of view; so much has changed in that short period of time that it's quite hard to make a good comparison between the two.
"The club has all the foundations in place to be a successful team, had been at the top of the English Premiership a number of times, so we knew coming here that it was going to be a bit of a long haul. Everybody talks about how it takes a bit of time to build a squad - we've had a complete change in philosophy in terms of how we want to play and throughout the course of the season there have been some matches where we think we're moving forward and on the whole we probably have.
"But there's games again like last weekend (the 23-6 defeat to Sale) where suddenly you don't get a performance that you expect and you question what you're doing a little bit, but we're very confident in the long term that we will turn the team around."
That loss was a set-back and Humphreys is looking for a response tomorrow night against a Connacht side he knows well and believes have improved hugely in recent years.
"The Connacht question has always been a part of the discussions with the IRFU that I have been part of over the last couple of years, where they sat alongside the other three provinces," he recalled.
"For a long time they were clearly the No4 in terms of how they were treated and I think that has changed significantly in the last two years in terms of the funding, public recognition and most importantly the players they've recruited.
"They've recruited in some really good players, players with experience who have come from very successful teams. Pat (Lam)has brought a very different view and has successfully changed the way Connacht played traditionally. As evidenced by where they sit in the Pro12, they're now a serious team.
"They're very well coached and will be a very big challenge."
With the prize a home semi-final, both sides know their chances of silverware rest solely in the Challenge Cup. For Humphreys it is the chance to help convince the Shed faithful that he is taking their club in the right direction.
"This was an opportunity came along at the right time, for me and my family to do something a little bit different," he concluded. "Sometimes you've got to take a little bit of a risk. Of course there was a risk involved in coming here, but it's one I'm excited by. It's a great club, there's a lot of great people working here and we're determined that over the next couple of years we can turn Gloucester around and that the club will be back competing at the top end of English rugby."
No harm to Doc Dave but I hope Connacht knock their melt in.
Interestingly I see that Pat Lam has picked/ been instructed to pick Henshaw at inside centre. An example I'm pretty sure Ulster will follow/be instructed to follow with Jihad at outside centre.
NEVER MOVE ON. Years on, I cannot ever watch Ireland with anything but indifference, I continue to wish for the imminent death of Donal Spring, the FIRFUC's executioner of Wee Paddy & Wee Stu, and I hate the FIRFUCs with undiminished passion.
BaggyTrousers wrote:No harm to Doc Dave but I hope Connacht knock their melt in.
Interestingly I see that Pat Lam has picked/ been instructed to pick Henshaw at inside centre. An example I'm pretty sure Ulster will follow/be instructed to follow with Jihad at outside centre.
Totally on board with your hope that Connacht give them a good seeing to.
You may be right about Payne, but it's getting to be an awkward situation. Cave recently signed a contract, right (again, me and who's on what contract doesn't go too well)? And Cave has been captaining the side - I think this puts him about second in line, behind Chad, to Rory's throne. But then we do have an All Black arriving next year, who seems to be a decent fullback. Or wing maybe. Or centre.
BaggyTrousers wrote:No harm to Doc Dave but I hope Connacht knock their melt in.
Interestingly I see that Pat Lam has picked/ been instructed to pick Henshaw at inside centre. An example I'm pretty sure Ulster will follow/be instructed to follow with Jihad at outside centre.
Totally on board with your hope that Connacht give them a good seeing to.
You may be right about Payne, but it's getting to be an awkward situation. Cave recently signed a contract, right (again, me and who's on what contract doesn't go too well)? And Cave has been captaining the side - I think this puts him about second in line, behind Chad, to Rory's throne. But then we do have an All Black arriving next year, who seems to be a decent fullback. Or wing maybe. Or centre.
Could we convert Payne to be a number 8?
I think Roger might be ahead of him, but he's certainly in the mix and after a bit of a disastrous first go I thought he handled it well against Cardiff.
Article says Challenge Cup is only route for Gloucester into the Champions' Cup but I'm pretty sure the rules have changed this season and winning the Challenge Cup does not carry with it automatic qualification into the Champions Cup.
Moiraman wrote:Article says Challenge Cup is only route for Gloucester into the Champions' Cup but I'm pretty sure the rules have changed this season and winning the Challenge Cup does not carry with it automatic qualification into the Champions Cup.
Moiraman wrote:Article says Challenge Cup is only route for Gloucester into the Champions' Cup but I'm pretty sure the rules have changed this season and winning the Challenge Cup does not carry with it automatic qualification into the Champions Cup.
It holds the chance to be involved in the play offs against crap teams from the 3 leagues, it's not a direct entry, just a possible route in. That is actually all its worth.
NEVER MOVE ON. Years on, I cannot ever watch Ireland with anything but indifference, I continue to wish for the imminent death of Donal Spring, the FIRFUC's executioner of Wee Paddy & Wee Stu, and I hate the FIRFUCs with undiminished passion.
Moiraman wrote:Article says Challenge Cup is only route for Gloucester into the Champions' Cup but I'm pretty sure the rules have changed this season and winning the Challenge Cup does not carry with it automatic qualification into the Champions Cup.
That was this year MM. Next year the English, after many years complaining that the P12 nations did not allocate their ERC berths on league position, have decided that the 'merit' system us not the best way to decide these things after all! So their play-off entrant will either be the Parker Pen winner or the 7th placed team in the English league. The goal posts will shift further for 16/17.
Wonder will Ed Griffiths be leading a consortium of South African Businessmen, some or a few of whom may have an interest in events at High Barnet.
Would be nice for Nigel the cockmunchist Wray to be involved with something profitable, hasn't been since Dominoes as far as I am aware.
Bizarre they are bringing in people to do a root and branch review, I would have thought that well within the compass of their DOR. Doesn't coach so he must have plenty of spare time.
NEVER MOVE ON. Years on, I cannot ever watch Ireland with anything but indifference, I continue to wish for the imminent death of Donal Spring, the FIRFUC's executioner of Wee Paddy & Wee Stu, and I hate the FIRFUCs with undiminished passion.
Wonder will Ed Griffiths be leading a consortium of South African Businessmen, some or a few of whom may have an interest in events at High Barnet.
Would be nice for Nigel the cockmunchist Wray to be involved with something profitable, hasn't been since Dominoes as far as I am aware.
Bizarre they are bringing in people to do a root and branch review, I would have thought that well within the compass of their DOR. Doesn't coach so he must have plenty of spare time.
Interesting thought baggy since it has been for sale for a while now and Mr Ed has landed his notice in, however I don't think it would be suitable for making a loss on an annual basis as they make money due to owning stadium and it is run as as a proper business not a bunch of rich boys hobby. Walkinshaw is like his father in that he likes to see some extra cash in the bank each year.
Would it be within PRL rules that one owner could own several clubs, if it is that is a very strange and dangerous way to be.
“That made me feel very special and underlined to me that Ulster is more than a team, it is a community and a rugby family" Rory Best
The outfit that Glaws are bringing in specialise in selling off businesses.
My guess is that Walkinshaw junior just isn't that interested in owning a rugby club. Just because his da was, doesn't mean that he is as well, and he's had a few years to give it a go.
It will be interesting to see who buys it. Maybe another vanity purchase. Or an asset stripper who will look to flog off the ground to build some houses and a KFC.
mikerob wrote:The outfit that Glaws are bringing in specialise in selling off businesses.
My guess is that Walkinshaw junior just isn't that interested in owning a rugby club. Just because his da was, doesn't mean that he is as well, and he's had a few years to give it a go.
It will be interesting to see who buys it. Maybe another vanity purchase. Or an asset stripper who will look to flog off the ground to build some houses and a KFC.
Houses and a kfc would be better for everyone than twunt humph and assfoa show
mikerob wrote:The outfit that Glaws are bringing in specialise in selling off businesses.
My guess is that Walkinshaw junior just isn't that interested in owning a rugby club. Just because his da was, doesn't mean that he is as well, and he's had a few years to give it a go.
It will be interesting to see who buys it. Maybe another vanity purchase. Or an asset stripper who will look to flog off the ground to build some houses and a KFC.
I don't think it would be fair to portray the Walkinshaw's relationship as a vanity project.
Not the Walkinshaws, particularly if the son just isn't interested, but the likes of Wray and Craig look like vanity owners and the new owner of Glaws may be of the same ilk.
