Mike Ruddock relishes his homecoming

Apr 28 2008 Western Mail

IT will be a face-off between Wales’ two Grand Slam winning coaches – and for Mike Ruddock the chance to finally come home and acclaim the fans who still regard him as a hero.

While there may be nothing of real importance at stake when Shane Williams’ Wales take on Justin Marshall’s international all-stars in the little wizard’s testimonial at the Millennium Stadium on May 17, the man who ended our 27-year wait for a clean sweep in 2005 may well have a lump in his throat when he leads out Marshall’s galacticos – in direct opposition to Warren Gatland, mastermind of the all-conquering class of 2008.

And Ruddock – who has been asked by Shane to do the honours, though is still waiting for clearance from Worcester chiefs – will return to Welsh rugby’s citadel in the knowledge his stock is very much on the rise again, following a couple of troubled years that have seen his coaching credentials questioned and even a spell out of rugby altogether for the Blaina man.

Just eight days after Shane’s extravaganza, in a season that saw the Welsh regions badly fluff their lines in Europe, Ruddock attempts to restore Welsh pride by winning the European Challenge Cup for his revitalised Warriors.

And claiming the trophy would be a fitting seal on a season that has been difficult, yet in many ways rewarding, for the former Swansea, Leinster and Ebbw Vale supremo.

When he took charge at Worcester this season he discovered they weren’t up to the Guinness Premiership.

He had to begin a major rebuilding exercise while the campaign was under way, signing New Zealanders Rico Gear, Sam Tuitupou and Greg Rawlinson.

Worcester were bottom of the English table, but the hard work paid off when they went to Sale Sharks and pulled off a gritty victory.

Just like Wales, following their Six Nations triumph over England at Twickenham, it was as if somebody had flicked the on button and confidence soared.

Wales became believers and so did the Warriors. Among their more recent scalps have been English champions Leicester Tigers and Premiership leaders Gloucester.

Worcester had never beaten the West Country’s big spenders Gloucester and they hadn’t reached a European final.

So that’s two notable achievements to enter on the club’s lengthening curriculum vitae.

It will become a hat-trick if they dispose of Bath in the final of the European Challenge Cup at Gloucester’s Kingsholm ground.

That will create a fourth because it would automatically book a passage from union’s equivalent of football’s Uefa Cup into the Champions League, in rugby’s case the showpiece Heineken Cup.

So much for those who sneered when Worcester initially struggled under Ruddock’s command.

Rugby is a results business and, love him or loathe him, Ruddock certainly knows how to produce a winning team and has a knack of getting the best out of players.

Worcester took care of dangerous French outfit Montpellier in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup and were 31-16 victors over Jonny Wilkinson’s Newcastle at a 10,500 sell-out Sixways to reach the final.

Warriors recently went down 23-20 against Bath in the league, but it was 3-3 on tries with goal-kicking accuracy being the deciding factor.

Bath waltzed their way through to the final of the Challenge Cup by accounting for injury-ravaged Sale Sharks 38-14 during a rousing encounter at a sunny Rec.

There was 38 points in the opening 23 minutes with Bath capitalising on major errors by Sale big guns Luke McAlister and Charlie Hodgson to scupper Welsh hopes of probably the country’s two top coaches, Kingsley Jones and Ruddock, going head-to-head in what would have been a fascinating showdown.

“It would have been far more than that because it would have been two boys from Blaina up against each other,” laughed Ruddock.

Ruddock might still have been Welsh coach and the World Cup could have been a different story had history taken a different turn.

But that’s in the past, he’s enjoying life too much now in the West Midlands to look back.

However, being asked to preside over the Marshall team in the benefit match has pleased him.

For the invitation shows some players in the Wales squad obviously rate Ruddock, who expects Worcester owner Cecil Duckworth to give his approval.

Jones isn’t surprised Ruddock has transformed Warriors’ fortunes, saying: “Mike is making his mark now after a difficult start.

“It would be a fantastic achievement if they were to win the Challenge Cup and qualify for the Heineken.

“The way he has managed them has kept everybody on their toes. Gear wasn’t performing so he dropped him and now he’s getting 100% out of them.

“His results speak for themselves and it’s a results business we are in.

“You can’t argue with Mike’s coaching record and Worcester have got a chance of going all the way after how they performed against Newcastle. They were convincing winners.”

While Ruddock has had his time at the Wales helm, Jones has influential backers at WRU headquarters and would be a front-runner to become the next Welshman to coach his country.

The former Wales captain, who was an inspirational on-field leader with Ebbw Vale and Gloucester, doesn’t hide his ambition, but tempers it with caution.

“It’s the pinnacle, being a coach of a nation and Wales is where I want to be – eventually!” explained Jones.

“It’s not like when I was a player.

“Then, I had a burning desire to play for Wales all the time.

“With coaching it’s different and the timing has got to be right. I’m still only 38 and, hopefully, have got years ahead of me.

“Being coach of Wales isn’t a job I’m chasing. I don’t covet it. There’s no rush. For me, I’d be happy if it happened in eight, 10 or 12 years time.”

Ruddock is adamant Jones possesses the credentials to coach at the highest level.

“How many guys, let alone Welsh, have won the Guinness Premiership title?” he asked.

After a pause, Ruddock answered the question himself, pointing out: “Kingsley.”

“He’s sharp, he’s astute, he motivates, he knows how to manage and he’s winner.”

Ruddock found an ally of sorts in Brent Cockbain, Wales lock during the Grand Slam of 2005 and now on the books of Jones’ Sale.

Australia-born Cockbain, who came under the control of Ruddock and Gareth Jenkins, was adamant: “Kingsley is the best Welshman I have been coached by.

“He is an excellent man-manager, knows the game inside out and how to get the best out of players.”

So there you have it, Wales’ past... and perhaps its future.

What a pity neither of them are coaching in Wales.

If they were, maybe one or two of our regions would be in the final of the Heineken Cup.

All about Ruddock

Ruddock was a flanker for Swansea and reached Wales B level before his career was abruptly halted by a serious work accident that left him with a fractured skull and three vertebrae.

He turned to coaching and led Swansea to victory over Australia in 1992, before clinching consecutive league titles in 1993 and 1994.

He was assistant coach at the 1995 World Cup, before enjoying stints with Leinster, Ebbw Vale, Wales A and the Newport Gwent Dragons.

He was a surprise appointment to the Wales post in the summer of 2004 when then Scarlets coach Gareth Jenkins had been widely touted.

Ruddock led Wales to a first Grand Slam in 27 years in 2005, but left midway through the 2006 Six Nations amid accusations that senior players had undermined him.

He had a spell out of rugby working for Acorn Recruitment, but was brought back to lead Guinness Premiership side Worcester Warriors in the summer of 2007.

He has led the Warriors to the final of the European Challenge Cup, though they have struggled in the league.

All about Gatland

Born on September 17, 1963, he won 17 caps at hooker for the New Zealand B team.

He retired from playing in 1995, having made 140 appearances for Waikato.

The first place he made a name for himself as a coach was Galwegians RFC in Ireland, guiding them to the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals on meagre resources.

He was coach of Ireland between 1998 and 2001 enjoying some notable victories but also some disappointments before being replaced by Eddie O’Sullivan in rather acrimonious circumstances.

Gatland joined Wasps in 2002 guiding them to three English Premiership titles and a Heineken Cup before heading back to New Zealand and Waikato in 2005.

He joined the Waikato Chiefs Super 14 team as technical advisor in 2006.

On November 9, 2007 he was named coach of Wales, succeeding Gareth Jenkins and leading his adopted nation to the 2008 Grand Slam.