By Jonathan B Geddes

UNDERTAKING a coaching apprenticeship with Michael Cheika and Darren Coleman as mentors ensured Ben Rutherford was well prepared to step into the Shute Shield hot seat last week.

Rutherford has taken over as West Harbour head coach mid-season replacing Phil Blake after building a very impressive CV with the clipboard over 20 years.

Looking at his credentials it was a case of when, not if, he would crack a head honcho role.   

Rutherford joined Wests this season as forwards coach and took over the head role leading into last weekend’s game with Sydney University.

While some people may regard that as a daunting job considering the circumstances, it was an assignment Rutherford was more than ready to tackle head on.

“I’ve been waiting a long  time for an opportunity like this … to really drive a change of culture and move towards success’,” Rutherford told Rugby News.       

“It was disappointing for Blakey, we’ve had a chat and we are on good terms which is really important to me. Typical of the bloke he is, he wished the team and me well.” 

AN AMAZING JOURNEY

AFTER starting his coaching career with Randwick, the club where his father Stu is a legend, Rutherford has coached every grade starting in third grade colts at various clubs.

His journey saw him spending two years as assistant first grade coach at Eastern Suburbs, working alongside Darren Coleman.

“From my point of view it was a really good insight into how a professional operation runs,” Rutherford said. “He was really well organised and communicated really well.

“In hindsight he was really tough with me, but in a good sense.”

In what was a dream come true, Rutherford had three months with former Wallaby coach Michael Cheika and David Knox at Leinster in 2007.

“I basically shadowed them and learnt how to coach, which as you can imagine for an aspiring coach was unbelievable,” he said. “You are in an environment where you have Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon Darcy and Felipe Contepomi.”

He said probably the most influential coach he has been involved with is the highly respected Mark Bakewell, when he was at Sydney University – particularly with regards to forward play.

AWAKENING THE GIANT

BEFORE joining the Pirates this season, Rutherford always thought the club has been a bit of a sleeping giant.

He said the facilities at Wests’ home base at Concord Oval are world class.

“We just need to chip away at the rugby program itself, we have some really good committed guys there that want to change,” Rutherford said.

He believes he might have seen the start of that in last Saturday’s 38-19 loss to Uni,  being   proud of the way his team had a crack and stayed in the fight.

“When you are playing against seven contracted Waratahs and two Aussie 20s kids, one being the captain, you are up against it,” Rutherford said.   

Rutherford said the performance was also a show of respect from the players for the work Blake had put in.

 Rutherford has also been appointed to the role for next season.

“I’m really excited about the potential of the club,” he said. 

THE WINNING RECIPE 

THE new coach’s foundation for building success will be a really strong set piece, then encouraging the backline to back themselves and play to their natural instincts.

The sensational solo try by winger Jiale Dawai against Uni was just what Rutherford was talking about.

And there is one particular trait in the team that gives Rutherford optimism for the future.

“From the outside you look on and think  ‘Wests aren’t having good results and there are probably guys who have put the cue in the rack’. But I have discovered and seen it first hand – they really care,” Rutherford said.

“They were really hurting on the weekend. They are not happy getting close, they want to

 win games which motivates me and it gives me encouragement they will embrace the

program and style of play that I want to have at the club.”  

On Saturday Wests take on the revitalised Manly at Concord Oval in what is shaping as an intriguing contest.