MAGNERS LEAGUE: GERRY THORNLEYtalks to the Australian about his current job as assistant coach with the Irish province
W ITH HIS distinctive long hair, Laurie Fisher looks like something out of a folk band or maybe a surfer dude, but he’s from Canberra in Australia’s Capital Territory, which isn’t exactly fertile surfing territory. Tony McGahan describes Fisher as an excellent coach, especially in his attention to detail and knowledge of modern rugby, and stresses not to judge him by his apparently laid-back appearance.
“His looks don’t indicate the kind of person he is. He has a very straight down the line and relatively conservative approach to everything and he’s very serious about his rugby. He lives and breathes rugby. You’d expect from his appearance that he’d be a sort of carefree, David Knox type of character. But he’s far from that,” said McGahan with a knowing chuckle.
Akin to McGahan, Fisher doesn’t appear to have had a particularly distinguished playing career, mostly as a hooker with Australian Universities, though he did play with the state’s ACT side, and unlike McGahan, doesn’t reproach himself.
Fisher maintains he only looks forward, but says of his playing career: “Twenty years ago you only played for fun. The game wasn’t professional. Mate, you played it, you enjoyed it. You played with your mates, you had a few beers afterwards; that is what it was all about in those days.”
Like McGahan, he is a teacher by profession, and taught PE and Health Science at Telopea Park School, before becoming Programme Manager with the Australian Institute of Sport.
But as soon as he finished playing, Fisher began cutting his teeth as a coach with his club side, Australian Universities, for six years before coaching at the Australian academy and the Australian Under-21s (2003/2004). This was the stepping stone towards the renowned firmament that is the ACT Brumbies, where he was head coach from 2005 to 2008.
“Like anyone, if you have a bit of a skill for it, opportunities grow. It was something I enjoyed, that I had a bit of aptitude for, and I got some opportunities.”
In its pomp, the Brumbies were the cutting edge home for rugby coaches. “That environment was created initially by Rod Macqueen and guys like Brett Robinson and Pat Howard – you had some really good thinkers on the game and it was developed by Eddie Jones, and then players like Gregan, Larkham, Kafer who tried to drive the game in new directions.
“It’s always had that reputation and anybody who stepped in, either as players or coaches, tried to continue that tradition.”
Fisher doesn’t interpret the advent of a Kiwi, Robbie Deans, coaching the Wallabies as the end of a golden generation of Australian coaching.
“It’s a global game now,” he reasons. “It’s about finding the best people for the job. He’s got a superb record at the professional level, and if you want the best it really doesn’t matter where they are born, does it?”
Nor is he unduly concerned by the Wallabies’ five defeats in six Tri-Nations games, maintaining that “there are a lot of good young players coming through and they’re only going to get better.”
Pitching up as assistant Munster coach in the summer of 2008 from Brumbies head coach is typical of Fisher’s approach to this global, professional game.
“I needed an opportunity to work, and there’s only so many head coach positions around. I certainly enjoy the coaching side of things above the managerial side of things and Munster have got a great tradition, not just in forward play but in rugby generally, so it was a wonderful opportunity to come to a different part of the world and be part of a different rugby environment.”
Ostensibly the forwards coach, he contributes in all areas.
“I’m not confined to my bailiwick of forward play. If I’ve got ideas on any aspect of our play or our organization then they’re well received, as are all other coaches in my area.”
Improving something as renowned as Munster’s forward play would appear to leave a coach on a hiding to nothing.
“The game is changing. The laws change. I guess my philosophy would be to maintain everything that’s great about Munster and then try and just add some things that might add a few more strings to their bow.
“I’m not looking to change things dramatically. I’m looking to work with what the guys are comfortable with and find percentage points of improvement here and there.”
There were times last season when Munster’s line-out work especially appeared to dip from its customary highs, but midway through the season they were the first to reinvent the maul and the ‘pick-and-jam’ drives.
“We certainly went down that path after the Ulster and Connacht debacles,” he admits candidly. “We just decided we needed to tighten up and get a bit of north-south in our forward play, and try and tie up some of the opposition resources. It went well for us for the majority of the back end of the season.”
Fisher has found the formative weeks of the campaign as disruptive as any provincial coach, and talks of finally undertaking a solid, month-long “block of work”.
He lauds the courage and the character shown away to the Scarlets last week, adding: “I think we’re happy with two wins from three, having played two games away from home. But we realise there’s probably not a single component of our game that is where it needs to be.”
Welcoming back all bar Paul O’Connell and David Wallace of their Lions contingent, he says: “Not only do they bring their own qualities, but they enhance the qualities of the other players. It’s certainly good to get them back.
“They’ll be a little ring-rusty. It’s been three months since they laced up a boot in anger, but they’ll certainly bring passion and intensity, and huge experience, so it will give us an idea where we are.”
Lions captain O’Connell will resume his on-field captaincy of his province next week as driven as he has ever been at the start of a new campaign. His presence has already been felt on the training ground. “He’s fantastic like that. His preparation and his motivation is always peerless,” says Fisher.
Sounds like a coach’s dream.
