Arnold aims to nurture a streetwise student side

Nov 6 2007 The Journal

RICHARD Arnold’s arrival as head coach of Team Northumbria heralds a sea-change in the university’s rugby scene, as the former Falcons skipper brings his competitive spirit to the side.

“I’ve not come here just to put time in, I want Northumbria to be up at the top of student and regional rugby and pushing for honours,” said Arnold.

He has been looking to move into a more full-time coaching role after three years with Westoe, where he started in a player-coach role after more than 10 years playing for Newcastle.

“I was looking for a change and something more full time with regard to coaching after three years with Westoe, which I really enjoyed,” said Arnold.

“Getting students to answer the phone before 11 in the morning is probably the biggest single problem,” he joked, “but, seriously, this is as much a job as a manager as it is about coaching. There is a lot of background work to do.

“The coaching is probably the easier part and when it comes to getting things organised, that’s really the hard work. I’m chasing my tail at the moment with the season having already started.

“We’ve lost a couple of games which tends to happen at the start of the university season until things settle down. Mark Foster and Joel Brannigan are helping me out and we’re looking at getting more coaching help for the seconds and thirds.”

Northumbria have entered the National League this year with the backing and help of Northumberland County RFU and are in Durham and Northumberland Division Three.

Arnold insists the season will have a double thrust with promotion and success in the British Universities Cup the targets.

“Long term, I’m looking at all things overall such as player recruitment, equipment, and playing facilities, but this year our aim is to qualify for the knock-out stages of the BUSA Cup and gain promotion from Durham and Northumberland Division Three.

“Being in the league is an important step forward and will help us to hang on to our players, but we also have to make sure they all get regular rugby or we won’t keep them – they will disappear off back to their home-town club.”

Arnold, an uncompromising flanker in his Falcons days, is also looking to give Northumbria a more streetwise edge without losing the willingness to play expansive rugby.

“It’s getting it into the players’ mentality they’re playing men’s rugby and getting them to play the game properly in the right situation,” he said.

“We are looking at a lot of one-to-one coaching and video analysis. It’s all a big learning curve for the players and for me.”

Arnold is in charge of both men’s and women’s rugby at Northumbria with former Scotland international Brannigan as rugby support services co-ordinator looking after the sports science and fitness side of things and Foster is also there in a coaching role.

“The men and women play on different days so I can oversee them both, but it’s going to be busy. Obviously, the women’s side has had success in the past so we want to keep that going in the Premiership.”

Arnold applied for the job when he saw it advertised and Team Northumbria chief Gareth McKenna said: “Signing Richard is a real coup. He brings a new dimension to what we’re doing here and has a huge reputation within North-East rugby circles.

“It’s been two or three years of work to get us into the National League structure and we’ve had to be patient.

“We may not be at the same standard as the Newcastle Falcons, but we have the same support systems in place for our players. If you look back at what some of our former players have achieved, we want to keep that going.” Northumbria have produced players like Martin Corry, Ross Beattie. Michael Stephenson and more recently Jamie Noon and Toby Flood, who all found national recognition with the Falcons.

Arnold was signed by Newcastle Gosforth coach Mick Mahoney back in the 1990s and was captain of the club as the game went professional in 1995, when Newcastle Gosforth were taken over by Sir John Hall’s Sporting Club.

They became the Falcons and Arnold was the first pro signing made by the new Falcons director of rugby Rob Andrew and was the first Falcons player to be granted a testimonial 10 years later. Until recently, he fulfilled a role with the Falcons community operation.

“I was with the Falcons a long, long time and it’s been a bit strange cutting the ties,” said Arnold. “I had a great time at Kingston Park and with Westoe, but I’m looking forward to this new challenge.

Arnie, as he is known to all, called time on his playing career in May 2003 and ended his career by holding the Falcons appearance record for a forward.

“I came over and signed for the old Gosforth club in 1991 from Eltham, Taranaki in New Zealand,” he said. “I thought I might come over here for a year or two, then perhaps to America for a holiday and finally go home to New Zealand to settle down. But I’m still here and I love it. My testimonial season was in 2000/01 and was quite successful and my last game was in May 2003 down at Bath.

“That was the end of that relationship with the club as a player, but I had some good times.”

Married to local girl Helen and with a family, Arnie is also a qualified landscape gardener but for the moment Northumbria will take all his nurturing and he added: “I haven’t come in just to be middle of the road.

“I’ll be doing my best to get Northumbria back to where they belong. I’m also hoping to persuade the Falcons to let some of their Academy guys who are at Northumbria University play for us.

“We’ve a massive game coming up against Newcastle University and it’s great that it will be at Kingston Park.”

THE BUSA Premier League match against Newcastle on November 14 will kick-off at Kingston Park at 7.45pm.

West Stand tickets are available now by calling (0871) 226-6060, priced £5 for adults and £1 for juniors.