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#Post#: 151582--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: poorfour Date: March 24, 2026, 9:37 am
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It’s worth having a bit of perspective here.
Gilmore has about a decade of coaching but only one previous
season as an interim head coach at a top club. He did make a
positive difference to our defence in his first season - albeit
it fell away when we started to add more to the game plan - and
picked up the head coach role (presumably double-hatting on
defence) without even the pre-season to prepare.
The club’s view seems to be that he has what it takes but lacks
experience. I suspect they are also wary of the chopping and
changing over the past few years and conscious that they need
some continuity. If sacking Tabs has genuinely harmed our
ability to recruit NZ coaches then why is sacking even more
coaches going to improve things?
Deans seems to be in place to mentor Gilmore through the
transition, and brings a lot of experience and rugby IP. If
that’s what Gilmore mostly needs then Deans is a good fit -
experienced enough to have seen it all, but not someone who will
be jockeying for the top job.
Hunter (assuming he clicks) brings something we’ve needed for
years, which is a hard edge to the pack to give us space for the
backs. I don’t like the way Exeter play the breakdown - I think
it’s dangerous and I do not see how their ruck entries are
remotely legal - but every other club seems to be heading in
that direction, refs don’t seem prepared to police it, and
Quins’ more textbook style has looked archaic for years.
I’d like to see confirmation of what’s happening with NEv -
though he indicated earlier in the season that he has plans to
move while his kids are still young, so if he goes I suspect it
will be initiated by the club rather than by him.
#Post#: 151583--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: FatQuin Date: March 24, 2026, 9:44 am
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I have stopped caring. Will spend a small fortune going to the
Rec (as I can’t get anything refunded) and that’s it for the
time being. Will keep an eye on the scores and watch on telly
if I’m free but not going to spend anything more until there’s
some improvement. If this bizarre coaching ticket proves me
wrong, great but I just can’t buy into it.
#Post#: 151584--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: Boonie Date: March 24, 2026, 10:04 am
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Sounds like no-one else wanted the job. Hope they prove me
wrong, but not holding my breath.
#Post#: 151585--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: FrostAndFire Date: March 24, 2026, 10:10 am
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[quote author=TomBuckQuin link=topic=8016.msg151561#msg151561
date=1774352693]
Apparently the Argies all stick together and don't really mix
with the rest of the squad - this player called them "all a bit
weird".
[/quote]
I'm sure in no way do the Argentinian players feel put off by
other members of their squad calling them "all a bit weird" and
calling them Argies.
It's hard to move to another country where you don't speak the
language well and fit in perfectly. I've done it at various
points. Kind of up to the squad to make them feel welcome and
accept they're going to be a bit different.
#Post#: 151586--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: Mr_B Date: March 24, 2026, 10:11 am
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what were the odds I wonder, scouring the world for the right
head coach and he was in Twickers all the time.
#Post#: 151587--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: A222Quin Date: March 24, 2026, 10:13 am
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Thanks Quinky.
I don’t share your optimism but agree on some points. Wholesale
baby with bath water change rarely seems to work, that I do
agree with. Also fully agree on S&C. You’d think they train on
the A3 rather than SSP the way that we pick up non game
injuries. However, Deans being broadly remote is something I
just don’t see any other club countenancing. If he was coming
here on a full time basis that’d be great but not sure on this
setup.
I also think this season has been so staggeringly poor from top
to bottom that my capacity for optimism has been substantially
reduced and I see Gilmore as one of the key components of the
poor season.
Even when we’re poor before I think we had the basis of a side
that actually looked good, thanks to Wilson’s 3 teams 3 year
plan we have a lot of dead wood. Louw & Collier to Williams &
Lamositele before the late signing of Delgado is a staggering
decline. Losing Andre and not really having any real plan to
replace him? Just seems a lot of indifference from top levels of
the club at the decline that has been allowed.
#Post#: 151589--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: RhubarbAndGustard Date: March 24, 2026, 10:56 am
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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Deans - excellent in his day but hasn’t coached at the top level
in a decade and is working remotely
Gilmore - overseen our worst run in the prem for 20 years
Hunter - sacked after 4 games as head coach which included
conceding 80 points to Gloucester
#Post#: 151591--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: Quinto Date: March 24, 2026, 11:04 am
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[quote author=SwielOrNoSwiel link=topic=8016.msg151589#msg151589
date=1774367816]
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Deans - excellent in his day but hasn’t coached at the top level
in a decade and is working remotely
Gilmore - overseen our worst run in the prem for 20 years
Hunter - sacked after 4 games as head coach which included
conceding 80 points to Gloucester
[/quote]
Hunter was good as Exeter's forwards coach, which is the role
he'll have at Quins.
#Post#: 151592--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: TomBuckQuin Date: March 24, 2026, 11:04 am
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[quote author=FrostAndFire link=topic=8016.msg151585#msg151585
date=1774365028]
I'm sure in no way do the Argentinian players feel put off by
other members of their squad calling them "all a bit weird" and
calling them Argies.
It's hard to move to another country where you don't speak the
language well and fit in perfectly. I've done it at various
points. Kind of up to the squad to make them feel welcome and
accept they're going to be a bit different.
[/quote]
I don't disagree with you at all, but that wasn't the point I
was making.
The issue is that if there are these divisions and the squad
isn't being welcoming or coming together as one... that's a huge
problem.
I believe cohesion comes from the DOR/HC setting a culture that
makes the players want to fight for each other. If you choose to
believe the account I've written about above (and I trust my
source, but completely acknowledge that the rest of you just
have to take my word for it so wouldn't begrudge your
scepticism) then it might start to explain why our players often
look like 15 individuals doing their own thing rather than any
kind of team singing from any kind of hymn sheet.
#Post#: 151593--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: The Kid Date: March 24, 2026, 11:20 am
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We can speculate whether they didn't get who they wanted or
whether this was better than some of the alternatives but this
is, surely, the last chance for the GM / Head Coach model under
this CEO.
There was a narrative at state of play that the head coaching
structure would have to fit into the way this club is run and
its values (TRUE and all it stands for) but if this guise - with
more outside voices than before - fails then surely it's time to
rethink some of the criteria that such appointments are being
made against.
Anything less than that, given the depth of the rut, obviously
appears disappointing. That's one way of looking at it but not
the right way, probably. We have to hope that, at least, things
trend upward and recruitment also improves to serve this
coaching team.
Time and results will tell whether this is better than going for
a Director of Rugby and more of a philosophical reset. Would
love to be proven wrong.
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