By Jon Geddes

GORDON chairman Matt Glascott has pleaded with Rugby Australia not to discard outgoing Waratahs’ coach Darren Coleman after his tenure with the Waratahs finishes this season.

One of the game’s sharpest officials, Glascott knows better than anyone what Coleman has to offer as a coach after taking the Highlanders from rock bottom to Shute Shield premiers in two seasons.

“DC should not be chucked out and spat out,” Glascott told Rugby News.

“He should be brought back somewhere in the Australian system.

“Don’t let him go, he can coach.

“For Australian rugby it is too easy to spit the coaches out rather than develop them and improve them and challenge them.   

“They do it with referees, why wouldn’t they do it with coaches?

“Someone needs to mentor this guy. Who mentors the coaches in Australian rugby and gives them a pathway of moving forward?”

Names like Bob Dwyer, Rod Macqueen, Andy Friend and Scott Wisemantel immediately spring to mind as ideal candidates to fill such roles.

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT 

GLASCOTT sent Coleman a heartfelt message of support after the announcement this week that he would not be reappointed Waratahs’ coach for 2025.

He said how proud he was of Coleman, who gave it all his best in a difficult environment and was not helped by the number of injuries over the past two seasons.

“Don’t lose your confidence from this, you are now a much better coach and a stronger individual,” he said in part . “Always remain positive and with sheer determination keep going.

“Get back on the horse my friend.”      

‘THE SYSTEM IS BUSTED’

THE straight-shooting chairman offered some other strong observations to rugby powerbrokers – views which he has held for years.

“There is more to NSW’s problems than the coach,” Glascott said.

“It is apparent to everybody you talk to in grassroots, the system is not working, the pathways are not working.

“They seem to think it is the coach’s fault, it’s not. It’s the systems and pathways, it really is.”

Glascott also said besides the casualty list Coleman had to deal with, he could only recruit players on a limited budget because NSW Rugby had no money.

“He was certainly handcuffed,” Glascott said.

“He basically hasn’t had his best player Angus Bell on the field for two years, who is such a key player in that forward pack.”    

FROM OUTHOUSE TO PENTHOUSE  

GIVEN the season the Waratahs have endured it became inevitable Coleman’s time at the Waratahs was coming to an end, but he has built up a strong coaching CV.

In 2017 he guided Warringah to the Shute Shield premiership in the most challenging of circumstances following the death of Rats’ player Lachie Ward while playing in a lower-grade game. They also made the grand final the following year.            

Coleman was appointed Gordon coach after the 2018 season when Glascott, who had recently taken over as president, said the club had pretty much hit an all-time low.

“I knew the club was in a big hole and we had to do something drastic to get out of it,”  Glascott said.

“I said ‘in order to save this club we’ve got to go out and  get the best coach possible’,” Glascott said.

After six weeks of negotiation Glascott finally got his man – Darren Coleman.

“I knew instantly that was going to be the turnaround at Gordon because that was how much respect I had for him as a coach,” Glascott said.

Glascott’s faith in Coleman paid off when Gordon won the 2020 Shute Shield grand final.

A PLAYERS’ COACH    

GLASCOTT has been associated with many coaches, both as a player and administrator.

“And by far ‘DC’  is up there with the best,” Glascott said.

 “He is one of the best man managers I’ve come across in coaching,” Glascott said. “He is able to get the best out of his men and he’s the best recruiter I’ve seen.

“He talked about being a club coach and he really was. He went through all the grades, he knew everybody’s name, he used to text people in fourth grade and told them what they could improve on.

“He had people walking 10-feet tall because the first grade coach took time out to talk to a fourth grader or a colts player.

“On top of that he had a really good football brain.”

Coleman then coached the LA Giltinis to the MLR Championship in 2021 before taking over the Waratahs for three seasons.