Sportinglife.com

Haskell takes reshuffle in his stride

11th Sep, 2009

James Haskell is determined to ensure the abrupt sacking of Ewen McKenzie as Stade Francais head coach does not affect his England prospects.

 

McKenzie was a strong supporter of Haskell's England ambitions before he was given his marching orders from Stade on Monday, just five matches into the new season.

 

Haskell is confident Stade owner Max Guazzini will not stand in his way should England team manager Martin Johnson come calling ahead of the November internationals.

 

But Haskell knows his first priority must be to prove himself once again at Stade following the appointment of Jacques Delmas and Didier Faugeron as the new coaching team.

 

"I got back to Paris on Tuesday after a trip to London to discover everyone had been sacked. I didn't expect it," said Haskell.

 

"Ewen McKenzie and Christophe Dominici are great coaches but you just have to react to it.

 

"I played eight games for Stade Francais. I have been finding my feet, trying to impress the coaches - and now I have two new coaches who only speak French. It is another challenge.

 

"Who would have thought I would turn up to a new club and the coach would be sacked after five games?

 

"The good thing about the club is that they don't like losing. They don't really do it very well, which is great because the worst thing you can do is accept stuff.

 

"I need to speak to Jacques. I think someone like Max makes the decision and they have always said they would not stand in my way over England."

 

Stade opened their season with a draw at Jonny Wilkinson's Toulon but managed just one victory in their next four games. Guazzini wielded the axe after last weekend's 30-22 defeat to Biarritz.

 

Nevertheless, Haskell is relishing his new environment. All his early concerns about moving to Paris, and how that might affect his England standing, have gone.

 

In their place, Haskell is enjoying a new-found excitement and a belief that his rugby is improving just as the England coaches want.

"I did begin to think maybe it would damage me. Everyone was saying I would get caught up in the Paris nightlife," said Haskell.

 

"But I have not been out in the seven weeks I have been there. All I have come across is a team that is very hard-working.

 

"I feel like I am an academy player. I finish training, eat with the boys, have French lessons, go to bed. I feel really refreshed by it and I am excited by the challenge.

 

"There is not so much rigidity to how we play. We have a pattern but we don't plan too far ahead.

 

"We have been in games when some individual errors have cost us tries - but then within five minutes we have scored four.

 

"I have never been in a team with that ability to switch it on. We just need more consistency.

 

"I have probably passed the ball more times in the last four of five games than I have in a long time. That will hopefully appeal to (England attack coach) Brian Smith. It was something I needed to add to my game.

 

"And because I am playing alongside someone like Juan Manuel Leguizamon, who is amazing at running the ball back, I am playing tighter and concentrating more on tackling and competing for the ball which, again, is something we are looking at with England.

 

"It is helping me develop the areas I need to develop."

 

Haskell was in London on Monday to hold a training session with the Sevens team from Japanese bank Nomura, whom he was coaching in today's RCUK Charity tournament in Richmond.

 

The event was set up by Haskell and his father Jonathan. Last year's inaugural tournament and auction raised £100,000 for children's hospice charity Demelza.

 

England colleagues Ugo Monye, Delon Armitage, Steffon Armitage, Paul Hodgson, Nick Easter and Topsy Ojo are among the celebrity coaches who turned out for the event.

 

Stade play Castres this weekend - but Haskell is not quite sure what to expect when he returns to Paris in the morning.

 

"When I got back on Tuesday Max laughed and said to me: 'We have changed everything and next time you go to England we will change again!'

"I was like: 'No, please don't!'

 

"I am still sore from three games last week and on top of all the added pressures of new coaches we have Castres this weekend.

 

"It is quite nice to be back here for a few days and doing something for grass-roots rugby."

 

http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyunion/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rugby/09/09/10/RUGBYU_Column.html

Back to Press Coverage