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#Post#: 151616--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: J Scott Date: March 24, 2026, 2:33 pm
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For me the positives are Deans being longer than 10 weeks and
see how we go, Hunter is a good forwards coach.
Confused what Gilmore has shown to warrant a promotion, worst
season since relegation.
Negatives there’s no mention of attack (assuming Nev is off) or
defence (which seems to be too much for Gilmore now let alone
when full time HC).
Hopefully we can now see some player signings to inject a bit of
hope among us.
#Post#: 151621--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: FrostAndFire Date: March 24, 2026, 3:15 pm
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[quote author=J Scott link=topic=8016.msg151616#msg151616
date=1774380811]
Negatives there’s no mention of attack (assuming Nev is off) or
defence (which seems to be too much for Gilmore now let alone
when full time HC).
[/quote]
There's been mention of a new assistant defence coach coming in
(who, I assume, will do most of that coaching with Gilmore
responsible for everything).
#Post#: 151622--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: Quinaldo Date: March 24, 2026, 3:29 pm
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Here's an article from the telegraph. has quotes from Murley as
well as also mentioning, the matson rumours:
Harlequins have confirmed that Jason Gilmore will become the
club’s permanent head coach with Robbie Deans and Rob Hunter
joining him in a revamped set-up at the Stoop.
After Danny Wilson’s abrupt departure on the eve of the new
season, Gilmore was promoted from defence coach to senior coach.
Despite the Quins sitting ninth in Prem Rugby just four points
off bottom placed Newcastle, Gilmore will remain in place.
As Telegraph Sport first revealed last week, Deans will adopt an
advisory role as performance director while Hunter, the former
Exeter head coach, has been recruited as forwards coach.
Promising a global search only to promote the person who was
already in the building presents an optical issue. Particularly
when that bloke, in this case Gilmore, has a grand total of two
league wins this season.
There are mitigating factors behind Quins’ rotten season, but in
footballing terms it would be the equivalent of Tottenham
Hotspur giving interim head coach Igor Tudor a five-year
contract as manager. Certainly, there was no upsurge in
champagne corks being popped around the Harlequins supporter
base – beyond the standard fare for a Tuesday night in Surrey –
in reaction to the announcement of the club’s new coaching
structure.
So why have Harlequins, who had been linked with a number of big
names, placed so much faith in a coach who has an 18 per cent
winning record?
‘He can get the best out of this group’
Firstly, Gilmore is immensely popular with the players, such as
England wing Cadan Murley, who were consulted about the
appointment.
“His work ethic – he is first in, last out to leave the
building,” said Murley. “But his biggest thing was his
relationships with all the players, whether you are a first-year
academy player or senior captain like Alex Dombrandt, he has a
brilliant relationship with all the players.
“I think with this team around him now, he can really get the
best out of this group and have a clear vision going forward. I
can understand the frustration but the fact you have that
alignment and willingness to fight for your coach – I think that
this is a massive marker of who you want to have in charge.”
Of course, players will always publicly back their new boss. Yet
privately reports coming out of Quins about Gilmore have been
unanimously glowing and it was his presence that persuaded
England full-back George Furbank to sign for the club.
That popularity has not translated into results and Saturday’s
wretched 26-19 home defeat to Gloucester means the London side
have lost seven straight in the league. Gilmore points to the
club’s injury list which at last count was 26 players long.
Murley also believes he was handed something of a hospital pass
in the timing of his initial appointment.
“He took over a squad that wasn’t his after a pre-season
probably based on things that potentially weren’t based on how
we wanted to play,” Murley said. “There’s been a lot of moving
factors so you can’t just put it on one man who took over a week
before the start of this season.”
Deans to mentor Gilmore
Secondly, the club’s options were limited. Some targets, like
former All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson, were always out of
reach while it seems the club’s treatment of Tabai Matson – the
New Zealand coach who left in 2024 – seems to have poisoned
Harlequins’ reputation in some southern hemisphere circles.
Turning to a club legend like Nick Easter would have provided a
short-term fillip in terms of popularity, but chief executive
Laurie Dalrymple believes pairing Gilmore with Deans will
provide the club with a stronger long-term base.
Deans boasts one of world rugby’s strongest CVs, having
established club dynasties with the Crusaders in New Zealand and
Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan. He will spend 12 weeks
a year on site and will look to mentor Gilmore in a similar
manner to what Chris Boyd did with Phil Dowson and Sam Vesty at
Northampton.
Gilmore believes Deans’ arrival can help leverage Harlequins’
recruitment, which has been found severely lacking in recent
seasons, referencing access to “world-class players”.
Strengthening the tight five is the main priority.
After cycling through seven coaches in 10 years, Dalrymple knows
he has to get this appointment right. Now his fate will be tied
to Gilmore’s. The Australian believes with the benefit of a full
pre-season he can get the club playing “fast” and with a “high
rugby IQ”, but also that he can get the club competing for
trophies.
“I’m really confident that we can bring this club back quicker
rather than later,” Gilmore said.
“We’re ambitious. We don’t want to be waiting five years or four
years for the club to win something. So we’re definitely going
to be aggressive with it, but we’re going to be smart with how
we do it.”
#Post#: 151626--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: DOK Date: March 24, 2026, 3:47 pm
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Some Pics
#Post#: 151627--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: Quinten Poulsen Date: March 24, 2026, 4:10 pm
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Well I'm glad the whole thing is done and dusted. It has
appeared the options were very limited over recent weeks so
perhaps this really is the best that could have been expected.
Not the big name overlord we all hoped for but hard to argue
with Deans' and Hunter's credentials. And while Gilmore has a
lot to prove I'm hopeful next season will see progress. I still
don't think we'll win another prem game this season though.
#Post#: 151631--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: DazzaS Date: March 24, 2026, 6:02 pm
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I am not entirely sure of the value Robbie Deans will be able to
provide when mainly WFH across the other side of the world.
When he does come over of course the club will need to pay for
his flights and accommodation as they should.
But how often will he come over and will it really be a positive
impact? Questions that I am sure will be answered in the
fulfillment of time.
#Post#: 151632--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: T-Bone Date: March 24, 2026, 6:04 pm
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I'm not impressed with the talk of the players all liking him.
Firstly, they certainly don't play like it. Secondly, they're
clearly far too comfortable.
#Post#: 151634--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: oliver.levesley Date: March 25, 2026, 12:12 am
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A look to the future?
#Post#: 151636--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: KentQuin Date: March 25, 2026, 3:10 am
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[quote author=DazzaS link=topic=8016.msg151631#msg151631
date=1774393341]
I am not entirely sure of the value Robbie Deans will be able to
provide when mainly WFH across the other side of the world.
When he does come over of course the club will need to pay for
his flights and accommodation as they should.
But how often will he come over and will it really be a positive
impact? Questions that I am sure will be answered in the
fulfillment of time.
[/quote]
This is where it all falls down in my eyes. If Deans was full
time, I'd feel a lot more confident that we'd get the reset
required.
#Post#: 151638--------------------------------------------------
Re: Quins Confirm Key Coaching Appointments
By: MaidstoneQuin Date: March 25, 2026, 3:23 am
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[quote author=KentQuin link=topic=8016.msg151636#msg151636
date=1774426253]
This is where it all falls down in my eyes. If Deans was full
time, I'd feel a lot more confident that we'd get the reset
required.
[/quote]
The problem with it is it hardly screams commitment. One season,
on the other side of the world. Not much buy in with a kind of
"My reputation on the line with my grand vision" type thing.
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