Wasps turn to GAA guru McCloskey

ONE of the GAA’s top trainers, John McCloskey, has been hired by Premiership rugby side Wasps.

And he believes that Ireland’s Grand Slam heroics, Leinster’s Heineken Cup success, and the Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) could mean more and more rugby teams will be turning to the GAA for advice and assistance.

McCloskey, who trained Crossmaglen and Armagh to All-Ireland titles and helped Derry to an NFL crown, is to join the London outfit as a skills coach. He worked with Wasps on a consultancy basis last season but will now be responsible for strengthening the squad’s core skills on a permanent basis.

He said last night: “This news is good for GAA. It is reversing the trend of coaches from other sports coming into the GAA. Ireland and Leinster doing so well has put our rugby players in the spotlight internationally. People in other countries saw that lads who have come from a GAA background are more confident in kicking and catching the ball.

“Now with the ELVs there is more focus on every player being comfortable catching and kicking. Before it was mainly the full back and the out-half who needed that skills set, now you need your second row to be at ease kicking the ball. Rugby teams realise people with a GAA background are the best to teach those skills.”

McCloskey, a member of the backroom team which helped Armagh to their only All-Ireland SFC win in 2002, has had a long relationship with Wasps and head coach Shaun Edwards.

“Our relationship with Wasps goes back six or seven years when we met them at various training camps.

“During that time we invited Shaun over for a few sessions. Joe (Kernan) was always thinking outside the box.

“We were always looking at other sports to find the edge somewhere else. He worked on things like tackling and footwork and we did sessions with the likes of Mike Ford (former Irish defensive coach) to learn new things.”

Edwards, currently on the Lions coaching staff in South Africa, asked for a return of the favour last season.

“Wasps were keen to address issues relating to catching and kicking in the wake of their first Heineken Cup Pool game against Leinster which they lost 41-11. So I went over and worked on basic drills with them and in the return fixture at Twickenham they were much better and won 19-11.

“They have asked me to come over on a full-time basis working on skills within the group. It will be a learning curve for all of us. I am not going to be putting work in things that I don’t have experience of.”

McCloskey isn’t the first example of a GAA man turning to rugby. “In the past Mickey Ned O Sullivan worked with South Africa. If you are insular you’ll go nowhere. Any coach looking for success must find an edge.”