It's been a massive year for Australian rugby, let alone all of us in Queensland. While we look back and reflect on the Super Rugby season that's been, it was awesome to catch up (via Zoom) with the Queensland Reds attack coach, the hard working and down-to-earth Jim McKay. We caught up about a number of things, including the ups and downs of the year and compared where Queensland is at to 2011 (when he was also a part of the coaching staff.)
Hey Jim, thanks for taking time to chat!
No worries.
What does a Super Rugby attack coach get up to at this stage of the season? (Besides keeping an eye on the Wallabies of course.)
We’ve been doing a thorough review of our season just gone. Before every season we set some targets that we want to work on, so I look at them and see how we went and then we do an extensive review.
We look at the trends in the game, for example, ball in play, mauling, or less mauling, line-outs etcetera and then from that, we come up with some good recommendations. From that, we look at how we can train more effectively... are there better ways we can train to get what we want. That affects the other coaches, the defence coach and conditioning coaches as well. From there, good things come up and not so good things. Then we think how can we put that into a strategy and then apply it next year.
You must feel extremely proud of all the Reds that have made the Wallabies squad this year!
Yeah we are Tom, as I’m sure you are as well, being a part of us. I think it’s a good endorsement of your program, particularly when they weren’t Wallabies before. The new ones in particular, you get very proud of. I know for myself as a players, I never played for Australia, so my drive was to help improve other players and the ultimate was when they could achieve that. So I feel very proud, to answer your question, to have some small part or role to play in that journey. And it means that we’re doing some things right here in Queensland, that they get recognised and that it’s a byproduct of our program here. You want to produce players for Australia.
A huge congrats on making it through a very eventful 2020 season, all the way to the Super Rugby AU finals!
Yeah. We were a wee bit disappointed that we couldn’t get the job done on the day. But if we look back and reflect on where we’ve come from, it shows really good progression. I think it’ll put us in good stead for the future, to have that experience. We had to negotiate our way through the competition, the semi-final we had to win, but unfortunately we weren’t good enough on the day, in the final. When you reflect back though, you’ve got to take the positives as well from the season.
What was the hardest thing about coaching the team throughout the lockdowns?
Probably not knowing when we could come back for training. You didn’t know whether to give them a complete rest, or whether it was going to be two weeks or two months. So it was quite hard to plan when you didn’t know a lot of information.
What were you most proud of, about the team so far during 2020?
How we stuck together, for the most part and the way we played as well. The endeavour - that’s what you get most proud about.
You were a part of the Reds coaching staff in 2011, when we beat the Crusaders in the 2011 Super rugby grand final. What an awesome year that was. What’s your fondest memory of that season?
Yeah. It was a very good memory. My fondest memory is after the game, I thought about my Mum. But I also thought about - I had a girlfriend at the time, in England and we hadn’t seen each other for a year or something. So it’s just about the sacrifices they make to allow us to do what we do. That was my immediate thought after the game.
What inspired you to begin your coaching career?
The opportunity to help others and for them to fulfil their dreams really… and enjoy sport for what it can bring - it brings people together. I started coaching young kids in schools, 5 year olds, 12 year olds… it’s quite funny actually, I was in England and coaching at night time, old men, like 40-45 years, I had that side of it and during the day time I would be coaching young kids that were new to rugby. The more I did it, the more I realised I really enjoyed it and it was a privilege. I enjoy the team environment and working together for a common cause.
Which members of the Reds are the most difficult to coach?
(Laughs). I don’t know if I can really say. But the interesting thing is there, the most difficult ones, they’re normally the best ones, as in the most rewarding. And the most healthy relationships as well. So in the same breath, difficult and rewarding.
What do you enjoy most about the culture at Ballymore?
As a generalisation, the Queensland people are generally humble and hard-working and they don’t get too far ahead of themselves. It’s a slower pace of life, for example, compared to Sydney. And the players have known each other for quite some time, through school, or through clubs. And when we come together for Queensland, it sort of means something. They really view themselves as Queenslanders and I really like that.
I’ve really noticed the culture of “care” at Ballymore. I’d even say, on behalf of the fans, that the supporters really care about the team too.
Yeah. It’s important, yes you want to win, but it’s important for people to see how you play and you’ve got to inspire people. I feel we’ve awakened them a little bit. I’ve always coached my team to be positive and within the rules and you’ve got to play in a way that excites people where they can see what you’re trying to do. Certainly it was like that when I was here last time [2010-14], but yeah we’re well on track to that.
It’s really important that people can see you give everything, when they come to watch you play.
Thanks heaps Jim for taking time to chat. All the best with your work, during the so called “off-season”. I’m looking forward to 2021 already!
Yeah, good on you Tom. It’s lovely to chat with you and thanks for taking some time and interest as well.
