Conor O’Shea tonight revealed he picked the brains of exiled former Harlequins boss Dean Richards before taking charge as the club’s new director of rugby.
Richards is in the seventh month of a three-year worldwide ban for masterminding the ‘Bloodgate’ scandal during their 6-5 loss to Leinster in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup at The Stoop last April.
Harlequins have been in a holding pattern ever since, with head coach John Kingston running affairs on a temporary basis until O’Shea had served out his notice at the English Institute of Sport.
The former Ireland fullback officially joined the club ten days ago ahead of his first game in charge, away at Bath on Saturday.
“I’ve spoken to Dean. He did an enormous amount for this club, He’s an icon and a legend of English rugby,” said O’Shea.
“Of course I rang him. He’s still incredibly passionate about Harlequins and it was even more striking when I met him. It was an expensive cup of coffee it has to be said.”
Harlequins' chief executive Mark Evans described O’Shea’s arrival at the Twickenham Stoop on March 15th as a significant staging post in the club’s rebuilding process.
But Evans admitted it would be impossible for Harlequins to permanently remove the ‘Bloodgate’ stain from their reputation.
“You would be incredibly naive to think it will ever disappear completely. Things like that don’t,” he said.
“They become part of history and, like good or bad seasons, are woven into the fabric of any club.
“It’s another staging post, that’s the best way of putting it. What it does do is help the players and staff look forwards.”
“I think it has been really difficult to compete in such a competitive arena with a key component missing.”
O’Shea takes over with Harlequins eighth in the Guinness Premiership but he is ready to build on all the positive groundwork Richards laid at the club.
“Would you be shocked if I said the club’s in great condition? The energy and enthusiasm is extraordinary. There’s been a huge amount done in recent years in terms of breeding home-grown talent,” he said.
“Historically in the Premiership, an English-based squad has proved the most successful route. What I’ve seen is a squad with a great age-profile and great energy.
“We are moving to a new training base at the Surrey Sports Complex in Guildford that is second to none, an absolutely incredible place.
“I wouldn’t comment on the past, I’m just looking forward to Saturday. You lose games, you lose confidence. You see that in any walk of life and that’s happened here.
“But this is a squad which, in my opinion, is going to mature and fulfil its potential in the next couple of years.”
O’Shea could have done without his first public appointment as Harlequins boss coinciding with confirmation that England winger David Strettle is leaving for Saracens at the end of the season.
O’Shea had been in contact with Strettle before officially starting at Harlequins and he was aware the England winger would be leaving.
“Strettle is an outstanding talent. He will play brilliantly for us over the last six games, I know that, but the lads have giving him a good going over at training this morning.”
O’Shea held the roles of captain, director of rugby and managing director at London Irish before taking charge of the English Rugby Football Union academy in 2005.
The 39-year-old moved on to the EIS in 2008 and was preparing to lead them into the London Olympics when the Harlequins offer came along and it was too good to turn down.
“Any day that your passion and your hobby is your job is a happy day. It’s something I’ve been lucky to extend beyond my playing days,” he said.