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WRU obituary: Death of Kevin Bowring, Wales' first professional coach

The late Kevin Bowring coaching Wales at Twickenham in 1998 (Photo by Dave Rogers/Allsport)

The Welsh Rugby Union have published an obituary following the death of Kevin Bowring. The 70-year-old, who suffered a heart attack, was Wales’ first professional coach having answered an advert when the game turned pro in the mid-1990s.

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The WRU obit read: “Kevin Bowring, Welsh rugby’s first professional coach, has died after suffering a heart attack at the age of 70. The Neath-born flanker became a legendary figure at London Welsh, where he made 268 games as a player and captained the club for three seasons, and was good enough to be picked for a Wales B squad, play three times for the Barbarians and also represent Middlesex County.

“The son of a carpenter, he learned his rugby at Neath Grammar School before heading to Borough Road College in London to study to become a PE teacher. He captained the team and also cut his teeth in first class rugby by making his debut for Neath.

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“Having grown up as a regular at The Gnoll and wanting to be like the Neath and Wales back row legend Dai Morris, he got the chance to play alongside the great man in a never to be forgotten experience.

“A renowned sevens specialist, it was during a trip to the Amsterdam Sevens with the Voyagers that he was invited by Wales wing Clive Rees to join London Welsh. The two were teaching at the same school in reading at the time and he joined the Old Deer Park side in 1977.

 

“During his nine-year stay at the club, he was captain from 1979-82, became the sixth most capped player for the Exiles, played in the side that reached the John Player Cup final in 1985 and played in three teams that reached the Middlesex Sevens final at Twickenham, winning at the third attempt in 1984.

“His coaching career began when he was just out of his teens when he helped out with the youth team at his first rugby club, Briton Ferry. Then, after hanging up his boots at the age of 32, he took on the role of director of physical education and head of games at Clifton College.

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“During his time at Clifton his reputation grew and he was invited to take part in the WRU’s U17 and U18 development camps in Aberystwyth. The WRU’s coaching director at the time was the former London Welsh, Wales and British and Irish Lions captain John Dawes, who invited Bowring to coach Wales U20 in 1989-90.

“He then went on to take charge of Wales U21 for three years and then won nine of his 13 games in charge of Wales A over a further three years. He also coached the Wales Sevens side. He was named as the caretaker coach for the autumn international against Fiji in November 1995, which Wales won 19-15, and was then given a £50,000 per annum four-year contract to take the team through to the home World Cup in 1999.

“Having answered the WRU’s advert for what would become the first professional Wales coach, he was given the job. He ended his 29-match career over his two-and-a-half years in-situ in credit with 15 wins and 14 defeats, although his Five Nations record saw him win only four of his 12 games.

“When he took over Wales had just failed to qualify for the knock-out stages of the World Cup for the second tournament running, their championship record since 1988 had been patchy with just seven victories in 28 matches and they had lost to Romania, Canada and Western Samoa in that time.

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“He ultimately became the fifth Welsh coach in 10 years to vacate the position reluctantly. He left in the end frustrated that the Welsh Rugby Union refused to sanction a series of demands he had drawn up, the basis of which would have seen the club system at the top scrapped in favour of a provincial structure.

“His contention was that the club scene was not producing players ready for the international arena and neither was it yielding international coaches for the future. He attempted to restore a more typically Welsh style of game, but ultimately resigned after suffering record defeats against England and then Grand Slam France, who won 51-0 at Wembley in 1998.

“He was succeeded by Graham Henry as national coach and went on to coach Newbury RFC. He was later employed by the Rugby Football Union as an elite coach for the England rugby union team. He also became a board member of UK Coaching and a member of the coaching committee, which sets the overall strategy for sports coaching in the UK. He also worked with the WRU as a coach mentor.

“The WRU sends sincere condolences to Kevin’s wife, Wendy, and the rest of his family and friends.”

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Spew_81 3 hours ago
'He wants players to be able to play four positions': Former All Black critiques Robertson's strategy

I have the selection opinion of ‘chuck them in the deep end, see if they swim’. Starting Mo’unga in the third test, in a series they had already won, would’ve been a perfect opportunity.


I also made it clear I would’ve kept Cruden in the mix, up until the end of RWC 2019. As he was a game manager. He isn’t Mo’unga which disproves your statement: “or should I say anyone not Mo’unga”. I would’ve had Mo’unga in the wider training group and in the end of year tours. At 10 I would’ve had: Cruden, B Barrett, and McKenzie (as McKenzie can cover: 9, 10, 14, and 15); but as Cruden was out of favour and departed, I would’ve had Mo’unga, B Barrett, and McKenzie as the 10 hierarchy; as Mo’unga is a game manager.


McKenzie had to have made his intentions clear that he wanted to transfer to 10 at least as far back as 2018. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have played at 10 for the Chiefs in 2018. The Chiefs had other options at 10. Why play someone out of position in Super Rugby, when they didn’t have to - unless McKenzie wanted to be the All Blacks 10 after B Barrett left? McKenzie played 10 in high school and never hid the fact that he wanted to have a shot at 10 and the highest level (nothing wrong with that). Also, McKenzie played 10 for the Maori All Blacks earlier in 2017:


[January 18, 2018] “It [10] has been a position I've always played and in the last few years I've played at 15, but now there is the opportunity to play at 10 and its one I'm looking forward too.


Damian McKenzie targets first-five role for Chiefs ahead of Super Rugby season | Stuff


Hansen seemed to think that McKenzie was a valid option at 10: “In World Cup squads, versatility is king. McKenzie's Test career has been at fullback; next year at the Chiefs he will be their first-choice fly-half”.


'When you're afraid you start second guessing yourself' - The Damian McKenzie All Blacks Interview - ESPN


It makes sense that Hansen and Foster’s logic was that McKenzie would follow the same path as B Barrett did to the 10 jersey for the All Blacks; from 15 to 10.


Why would McKenzie move positions from 15 to 10 at Super Rugby level, if he didn’t want to play 10 for the All Blacks? Just to be a better ‘dual playmaker’? He clearly wanted the All Blacks 10 jersey (nothing wrong with that). Hansen wanted a dual playmaker system, that’s why he wanted two 10’s that could play 15. It removes the need for a 10 on the bench (Cruden or Mo’unga) that’s why Hansen didn’t give Cruden a real shot at reclaiming the 10 jersey, and why he didn’t develop Mo’unga - until McKenzie got injured out of RWC 2019. This all fits the established narrative. Hansen could’ve had Mo’unga at 10 and B Barrett at 15 and had two pivots with different styles.


I brought it up as I it shows that Hansen and Foster would rather have a second 10, that played like the incumbent 10, instead of a game manager at 10. That was one of my main points. I’m saying that was the reason why Mo’unga wasn’t given a proper chance to develop into the international 10 he could’ve been.


All I’ve said is that I don’t think Hansen and Foster made the best choice, in hindsight. One of each type of 10 would’ve offered more options, making the job harder for opposition defense coaches. But without the benefit of parallel universes, where all the alternative ideas could play out, no one will really know.


I believe what the information shows, and what seems to be plausible, based on that information. There can be many, sometimes contradictory, conclusions that can be drawn from the same information. Without reading the minds of all involved we can just speculate based of the information that we have.


I brought those facts up to as I believe that both Hansen and Foster didn’t really want Mo’unga at 10 and only used him at 10 when they ran out of other ideas (which they both did). Foster and Hansen would’ve had long term planning discussions while Hansen was the main coach and Foster was the assistant. The next 10, after B Barrett would’ve been discussed during the 2016-2019 cycle as B Barrett (while very good) didn’t have the ability to consistently manage the really tight games (I’m not sure any 10, even Carter, could do it alone against the developed rush defenses that are common now). Also, as with any long term planning, they would’ve been thinking about B Barrett’s eventual replacement. They seemed to want another player who played like B Barrett.


Hansen and Foster seemed to be grooming McKenzie as the replacement 10. No wonder Mo’unga chose not to die for the team, and made sure he would be set for life by the time RWC 2027 comes around.


I have shown my reasoning and the information that led to those conclusions. If you have contrary information, post it, I’d be interested to see it. I’m happy to change my mind. I am very interested to discuss this type of thing, especially when someone has different views. It makes the discussion more interesting. I am happy to agree to disagree on this. You make some good comments, I’m sure we will sometimes agree and sometimes disagree in future :)


[Bonus Comment] Also, here’s an idea that is a bit left field that you can sink your teeth into. McKenzie should’ve made his primary position as a 9, covering: 10, 14, and 15 (McKenzie has been seen as valid 9 cover, he played 9 when Perenara got sin binned in Wellington, vs France in 2018). Start Aaron Smith and have Mo’unga at 10 and Barrett at 15; bring on McKenzie with 20 minutes to go. Three playmakers. That would’ve been a nightmare for defense coaches to defend against. Imagine A Savea taking the ball off the back of a mid-field scrum on the 22, with those three options to offload to. You can’t rush all three players. That is the way to beat a rush defense, create too many options to cover; but you need a 10 who is a game manager that can take advantage of the options.

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