Pat Lam met up with Graham Henry in the summer, a few months after masterminding Connacht’s success in the Pro12. The 2011 World Cup-winning All Blacks coach advised the former Samoa, Northampton and Newcastle No8 when he took charge of Auckland in 2004, helping Lam develop a style that stands out in the northern hemisphere.
Connacht may have been unfancied last season but they did not adopt the approach of underdogs and looked to win matches by thwarting opponents who were stronger on paper. They focused on attack, building up such momentum they were able to overcome the defending champions Glasgow (their opponents in Galway on Saturday) in the semi-final and outsmart Leinster in the final.
“My coaching is a reflection of how I used to play,” says Lam, who played for Auckland in the early 1990s when Henry coached the province. “What attracts someone to rugby, whether they start playing at the age of five or in their teens? They want the ball and the chance to run and pass. As a coach, you have to harness the enjoyment players have for the game and give them bullets to fire.
“Graham was over here recently and called me for a catchup. He mentored me when I got the Auckland job at the age of 35. I was all enthusiastic and I remember him telling me you become a good coach over time. Twelve years later, I told him I now knew what he meant. He said to me I was 47 and he did not coach the All Blacks until he was 58 and that he was a better coach now than he was then.”
“I will only take a job if an organisation has a clear idea of where it wants to go. Connacht had a vision of being Ireland’s top province within five years and I liked that. The Pro12 trophy was an outcome of the work everyone put in and when we got together to prepare for the new season, I put the cup at the front of the room and discussed with the players what it represented. To keep it, we have to work harder.”
Connacht’s success was as big a shock as Leicester City winning the Premier League. “It was an achievement because if you ranked the 12 teams in terms of finances and resources, we came 12th,” Lam says. “I placed an immediate emphasis on skill levels and the players had clarity about how we wanted to play. A game is a celebration of the work you do in the week. We train to win.
“When the stakes got higher towards the end of the season and teams were loaded with internationals, people said we would not cope but we were prepared.
“I am a teacher by trade and see it as a rugby education we are giving these guys, making someone a better person as well as a player. Everyone here has a chance to run with the ball and we teach them the tricks to do it. With skill comes mindset; when to do something, whether to pass, run or kick.
“There are so many different ways of playing and scoring tries. It is all about coaching philosophy and I am clear how I want the game to be played. If you get the ball near your own line and want to run, it will not work if one guy feels you should kick the ball. That is why you have to work on culture and relationships to build trust. When I looked at the final against Leinster and broke it down, I could see drills that we had worked on in training.”
When the assistant coaching appointments for the Lions tour to New Zealand next year are discussed in the coming months, Lam’s name is likely to be brought up. “There is no point in worrying about an invitation until you get it,” says the man who was in charge of Auckland on the Lions’ 2005 tour. “What an itinerary the Lions have. They are a special team and they will have a chance, as the Connacht story shows, even if the odds are stacked against them.
“There are reasons to be positive when you look at how England are going and the development of the Celtic nations. It will come down to the style they want to play. People talk about the difference between north and south but there are talented players in both hemispheres. It is what you do with that talent that matters; success comes from belief. You have to play to your strengths but the key will be nullifying New Zealand’s and putting them under pressure.
“New Zealand sustain success because of their coaching programmes. I said when I arrived in Connacht they had to invest in their staff. You could have the best players in the world but if the coaches were not right, it would break down. Look at England now: they are still playing to their strengths but the mindset has changed. The skill level is higher and forwards are using the ball in hand. New Zealand are about basic skills under pressure and a huge amount of effort goes into that.”
Connacht are now the team to beat rather than an opportunity to field fringe players. “We have retained 90% of the squad and made some good signings,” says Lam, who has another two years on his contract. “Our funding is better than it has ever been and, although we are handicapped by a small stadium, there are plans to change that. It is a good place to be.”
