Georgian coach crosses paths with Joe Schmidt once again

Milton Haig

was a newspaperman. That’s before rugby dragged him all the way to the Caucasus – where Asia and Europe have collided for centuries.

"I worked in newspapers for 15 years," said Georgia's head coach after a damp training session at Wanderers RFC. "Worked for APN so I was at Bay of Plenty Times and Wanganui Chronicle. I was in advertising and design."

Haig also had a little to do with Joe Schmidt getting his first major coaching gig back in 2003. A former Bay of Plenty scrumhalf, he was Vern Cotter's backs coach for a time.

“When Joe first started (coaching senior rugby) in New Zealand he took over from me,” he explained. “Vern and I were coaching, Joe is from the same era as I am, and we were looking for a replacement because the newspaper transferred me.

“Suppose it was his first provincial gig in New Zealand. He had come and done a session with us earlier in the year. . .”

That’s usually all it takes.

“He seemed bloody good so I rang Joe. . .”

Schmidt had been working with New Zealand schools and was deputy principal at Tauranga Boys High. “Back in those days you could do it part-time. When he did the session with our boys in 2002 you could see he was smart. He had a really good way about his coaching style. He used questions a lot, which was good, technically very good.”

The Steamers went on to capture the Ranfurly Shield in 2004 while the Schmidt and Cotter combination eventually conquered France with ASM Clermont Auvergne.

Haig, meanwhile, meandered off to NPC division three with Wanganui.

“Back then my main job was with newspapers. They said, ‘Could you coach?’ I said not really as I had a new baby, new job, new house. The three worst things you could do in your life . . .”

He means at the same time. The really great wives tend to read their husband’s mind before he makes the decision himself. Haig was told to keep coaching. “After that Counties Manukau then New Zealand Under-21s then New Zealand Maori.”

Recommendation

Then the

Georgia

union asked the NZRU to recommend a coach. He’s head coach these past three years, Schmidt’s doing okay with

Ireland

and Cotter is threatening to awake the sleeping Scottish giants.

“You have to take the punt one day because it is something you want to do. Somebody pays you something you love to do, you are not working.”

So Haig replaced the black smudges on his fingers with muck and grass stains. Even days like yesterday he seems content. Even with the daunting challenge that looms on Sunday.

Everyone is without wounded warriors this weather, like no time before, but losing the great Mamuka Gorgodze, a prized possession for Georgia and Toulon, due to a crocked knee, lessens the occasion.

Davit Zirakashvili, the confrontational Clermont prop, is another currently stood down. It sounds serious. “He’s got concussion. Happened about three weeks ago, the Saracens game in London, he got a knock there. He really hasn’t recovered from that. It’s not great. The jury is out even now as to when he will recover.

“He’s had a knock before. They have never had this problem before with him.”

Haig stubs out the theory that these guys are being cloaked by the big French clubs, neither played Top 14 last weekend while a sprinkle of Pacific Islanders were visible across the team sheets.

Commitment

“The difference between our guys or the (Fijian, Samoan and Tongans) is these boys really want to play for their country. I’m not saying the other guys don’t but these guys will walk over coals to play for Georgia. The players do have control. We’ve a couple of young guys in Toulon and last year (Bernard) Laporte said you can’t go. They said, ‘Hang on, it’s my country!’ They are still with us and they are still at Toulon. But playing for their country is the most important thing.”

The Ireland pack at the 2007 World Cup learned that the hard way. "It's in Georgians' DNA to play this game."

When a Kiwi says that it should resonate.