AMONG ALL THE changes that have happened at Kingspan Stadium over the last few years, there’s been one constant.
He rarely takes the headlines, nor is he usually the one thrust in front of the weekly media briefing, but Niall Malone has quietly gone about his business behind the scenes as Ulster’s video analyst and skills coach.
Initially part of the Academy system, Malone made the move into the senior set-up and has since been the one member of the coaching staff to endure the various culls that have occurred.
First he saw Brian McLaughlin axed, then Mark Anscombe given the boot, and he’s just watched Les Kiss depart Belfast for pastures anew. And yet here he still is, by now part of the furniture at Ulster Rugby HQ.
“I think I’m on my third or fourth head coach in six years so I’m aware my head’s not on the parapet, I’m ducked away safely somewhere most of the time!” he laughs.
Why is his record of outlasting head coaches so important right now? It could just be the fact that, come May, he may be surviving another if the rumours that the Wallabies are after Jono Gibbes prove to be true.
With Mario Ledesma jumping off the Aussie bandwagon to take charge of Super Rugby franchise the Jaguares, Michael Cheika is on the look-out for a new scrum coach, and reports from New Zealand suggest Gibbes is the one he wants.
The last thing Ulster need is more coaching changes, something that’s not lost on Malone, who launched a passionate appeal for the former All Black to stay and continue the good work he’s started in Belfast.
“I’d be absolutely gutted if there was any truth in (the rumours), I really really mean that,” Malone said.
“I didn’t know Jono eight months ago and the two of us get on really well, so that’s a personal thing, but the influence he has on the players… if he stays it’s going to be so successful, and I really hope the speculation is just that. I’m just really hopeful he’ll be here for a long time.
“I think there’s potential in the coaching group with Aaron, Dwayne and Jono leading it. I think they get a good response from the guys, and I think those three are… they didn’t know each other that well before this season but they’re very tight as a trio in supporting each other.
“I think they can get a huge amount out of the players they’re working with, and I think it’s absolutely crucial they stay and continue the work they’ve started because they’ve only been here six months for 20 games, so they’re only getting going.
“There’s definitely a lot of respect coming from the players towards that group of coaches and I really hope that continues.”
Among the subtractions to the coaching staff, there has been one addition, albeit unofficially.
Ireland centre Jared Payne — who’s still sidelined with chronic headaches — has stepped in to assist with the defensive side of the game, taking a much bigger role within team meetings to pass on his well-regarded rugby intellect.
The British and Irish Lion has long been considered by his peers as having one of the best rugby brains in the squad, and his willingness to take over an area that Kiss would have led before his departure speaks volumes of his ability.
“He’s sort of stepped up this week, as a player he was like a coach on the pitch as it was, and in team meetings he would always lead so that’s been seamless,” Malone revealed.
“The key thing is I think every single person in the squad thinks he’s the best player or one of the best players we have, so when he speaks everybody listens.
“It’s been really interesting watching him because he’s always contributed so much as a player, as some of the senior players do, but now he’s almost got this official title of being coach. I can’t wait to see how the team responds to his coaching because on the training pitch it’s been really interesting – not a huge change to the influence he’s always been.
“He’s having his lunch with the coaches now so he’s getting a bit of ribbing! But if he can sort our defence out and improve it then I think we’ll all be very happy with that.”
Ignoring staffing changes and centres filling in coaching roles for the time being, Ulster do have what is increasingly looking like a must-win clash against Edinburgh this Friday that requires all of their focus.
With the Scots just three points behind Ulster in the race for third place in Conference B of the Guinness PRO14 after their impressive bonus point win over Leinster, a loss for the hosts would be catastrophic for their European hopes next season.
But for Malone, there’s a personal aspect to this match-up.
“He used to bully the hell out of me!” he laughs when recalling his time with Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill, whom he was a team-mate of during their team as players with the Leicester Tigers.
“He really scared me, frightened me actually. I went to his wedding so we must have had quite a good relationship by the end of it but he used to bully me to pieces. I remember him well.
“He’s turned them around. I was amazed when he went to Edinburgh. I couldn’t really see the link between him and Edinburgh when it was announced, but he’s done really well. You can see his characteristics coming through.”
The grizzled Englishman earlier in the week demanded at the start of the season that his Edinburgh side earn the respect of the rest of the PRO14 — this week he finally admitted they had it.
As Malone says, the characteristics of a Cockerill side are evident – their pack have been turned into a dominant force, much like his Tigers sides of old, with the backs not shy of getting involved in the dirty work either.
No longer will this be seen as a straightforward win for the Irish province, as it may have been in the past, particularly with the issue of backing up good performances weighing heavy on their shoulders this season.
Their nine-try 59-10 win over the Southern Kings last week looks impressive on paper, but the difference between the winless South Africans and the fearless Scots is as stark as day and night, meaning Ulster have to up their game this weekend.
“Up front (Edinburgh) look like an old-fashioned Munster team, they look tough and rugged and they didn’t use to look like that,” Malone admits. “That’s what characterises (Cockerill’s) personality and I think he’s had an instinct impact, making them more aggressive and more competitive.
“They’ve been more impressive than any time that I’ve been in this job. They had good fortune (against Leinster) but they’re the best Edinburgh team we’ve played in a few years.
The coach added: “We try to look above us rather than below but there’s only a three-point gap and we play them twice so the games are going to be significant.
“But the Scarlets play Leinster, then us. They’ve got a difficult run and if they were to lose in Dublin (and Ulster win against Edinburgh) then we’d be going there knowing a win would take us ahead of them. Before last week, that didn’t look likely.
“We all have hard games to come, and we all play each other, so we know any win will take points off guys we’re vying with. There’s a lot still to play for.”
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Hope they took dental impressions from his shoulder in hospital. Drag in all the Dublin players to look at their choppers.
Guilty player should receive a lengthy ban and criminal prosecution.
From a dub.
There can be an awful Whif of sheep of them Donegal heads,poor lad was probably just a bit peckish!
Disgraceful incident if that’s what happened and has absolutely no place on the football pitch or anywhere in civilised society! However, it is not the first time I’ve heard of this type of assault in inter county football.
Sounds like sour grapes to me. Donegal are just a bunch of whingers.
Sure why would they have sour grapes. Isn’t relegation all part of McGuinness’s master plan. What a load of bullshit.
Agreed – sure he said all along that staying up isn’t a priority.
McGuinness’s master plan? Now you’re talking bullshit!
It seems one if the two replying is confused. I was saying that mcguinness is the bullshitter.
Apologies Luca
Theyve been beaten before and never came out with something like this so why would they do it now?
I seriously doubt a team would go public with something like that unless they were certain there was intent there.
Dont try and deflect away from the incident lads.
IF it has happened, and i say IF, would you condone the action of biting on the football field?
Why would they pick a fight with a team that has a huge media backing especially when it will be difficult to prove. There was time to contemplate this too so I doubt it is an impulse reaction to the result.
Huge media support??? The Donegal Democrat never gives the Dubs a fair crack of the whip…
Well pardon the lad then so for bringing it to the attention of the medical staff that this happened, this did happen and for someone to say its a case of winging is bull! As I said in another post if it was the other way around it would not take two days to get into the national media the culprit should get a lengthy ban nasty thing to do.
http://www.thescore.ie/dublin-jason-whelan-ban-1277911-Jan2014/
Ah sure the Dublin players will be grand the gaa will prob blame paul galvin for it ,
Galvin would have given a love bite
dubs are only rotten mungralls for bitten on the field.
If not just souur shpuds, hopefully the player in question gets some more shots on target next time and just hypodermic ones in the arse!! Jimmys winning PR battles!
Your that much of a clown. You can’t even spell the word Mongrel correctly.
dereck il spell it my way and u spell it ur way ya u filthy lookin clown
I sincerely hope the Dublin player in question got a tetanus jab afterwards…
I would like to take this moment to point out that Tyrone had nothing to do with this particular bite.
The dog bit him when he went home blame the dubs for everything
Typical anti-dub rhetoric here. Guilty before anyone knows what went on.
No sense of humour here at all
Got bit on the shoulder heard it all now, what a bunch of whingers
If I bit your shoulder I bet you’d be whinging too.
Bitten
Depends who was doing the biting.
Would that be a shoulder to cry on?
The Walking Dub
Biters will be bitin’?
That’s just nasty, biting someone.
I never knew Luis Suarez had signed for the Dubs….
He could ate an apple through a tennis racket.
Lol class
At least they only spit in Rugby!
Pretty sure they bite as well. Regardless of what sport it is, its not acceptable
You can’t please everyone, I often hear people complain because there is no bite in the game, then when there is….
What about a bit of needle?
Those jackeens were always hungry lads
It’s happening for years at least the gum shield law will ease the pain
Look at him. He’s a ride!!! I bite him any day!
More than likely the bite was from some dirty oul Donegal bird from the night before
How would it be sour grapes, sure they drew the match. Dublin didn’t relegate Donegal sure they didn’t even beat them!
No place for it. Seems that both Dublin and Donegal aware of it. How are they going to prove it?
Bloody savaged
did you mean..
A) Bloodily savaged
B) Bloody savage
C) Bloody savaged he was
” The Armagh whistler was forced to leave the game during the second-half after injuring his ankle with Sligo’s Marty Duffy taking his place instead ” ………… WHAT ARE YOU ON ABOUT FINTAN ?
The referee going off injured and being replaced.