Neil Back takes over coaching Rugby Lions

From here, ex Leeds coach and England international Neil Back is moving to a new role with National League 3 Midlands team Rugby Lions. English Sevens star Ben Gollings will be his attack coach.

Vancouver based businessma Michael Aland has taken over the club and is planning a 30,000 seat stadium with retractable roof, hotel and convention centre, with a goal of climbing up 5 divisions to the Premiership.

One hell of an ambitious project, but the signing of Back and Gollings as coaches smacks of advertising rather than real Rugby ambition. And a 30,000 seat stadium? For a National League 3 midlands side? Sounds very iffy to me.

It takes an experienced coach to be successful with players at the lower end of the ability range - and whatever else they may possess, Back and Gollings do not have much coaching experience.

Still, I wish them luck.

If it's NL3, then Back and Gollings should play as well as coach! Just to get them started.

robbo,
They probably could, too!

Make that 'ex England 7s star'. Gollings has been dropped from the 7s squad for next season. Sorry if that's old news.

Something about this story doesn't ring true. Mainly the 30,000 seater stadium

Kiwireddevil wrote:........Vancouver based businessma Michael Aland has taken over the club ...........

Aland is owner/principal of the Rugby Construction group. His managing director is none other than Gareth Rees, ex Wasps, Quins, Newport player and Canadian International.

If I were him Id read up on Notts Country and take a long hard look at this, and ask for my wages in advance.

A curious decision to say the least - while I can admire the ambition of the project, can't help but wonder if they haven't bitten off more than they can chew - will be interesting to see how it goes

What nonsense. Superiority complexes don't work.

red_stag wrote:What nonsense. Superiority complexes don't work.

Que?

The one issue they may find is that having been so public about such high ambitions, every ND3 club will now mark their card to beat them, making the difficult task that much harder.

I have a lot of respect for Back though, and he's made a promising start to his coaching career at Leeds.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

red_stag wrote:What nonsense. Superiority complexes don't work.

Que?

Basically they are looking at running before walking. Getting delusions of grandeur and biting off more than they can chew. Throwing cash at a situation. I will be amazed if they are playing Premiership rugby before 2020.

Agreed

To be honest, I think he'll come to regret this move. It smacks of desperation to find a coaching job. His tenure at Leeds was not an unmitigated success and whilst he achieved some good things there was plenty to question in his recruitment and selection policy especially. I think he gained more than the club did.
As for taking an ND3 club to the Premiership it's going to take a few miracles. If he makes to ND1 it will be a massive achievement but that final step is huge.

Back has gone for a 5 year Contract which gives him time to build a team and get the team up to challenge for the Premiership.

As for the staduim if that gets built or even started within 3 years they will be doing well.

I expect their grand plan includes having the stadium ready if they get into or near the top flight.

I would also expect to see a few big names joining as players to give the team a boost,

The guys got money and too a large degree you can buy success and get out of the lower divisions, the key will be keeping control of the money so you don't turn the Rugby Lions into a huge money pit!!!

'I would also expect to see a few big names joining as players to give the team a boost,'

Don't think there will be many 'big names' heading for ND3 as players do you?

A club near me has had 2 promotions in 2 seasons, losing 1 game in the 2 years! They have a huge player turnover, bringing in players from a league or two above the one they are aiming to win. ND1 and ND2 players won't be on loads of money, so I can definitely see some of them dropping down a league or two for the money to help the Lions rush up the league. By the time they are back in ND1 they will be looking at Championship players and Premiership players on their way down. Back-to-back promotions are acheivable in the lower leagues if you have money. I wouldn't be surprised to see them make the Premiership soon, not sure how long it will take them to regularly pack out a 30,000 seat stadium though!

i hope it works as it would be good for another team to be able to compete at the highest level but i do have my doubts

National League Three Midlands outfit Rugby Lions (from the town of Rugby) announced that their new Head Coach is no one less than Neil Back, World Cup winner as a player who recently resigned from the top job at Leeds Carnegie after failing to prevent relegation. The 42-year-old signed a five-seasons deal.

Former 7s superstar Ben Gollings is the first big name signed by the Lions as a player.

Rugby has been recently taken over by Michael Aland, a former player and the owner and chairman of RCG (Rugby Construction Group). He plans to work on the Academy in order to create a "self-sustainable project". At the same time, he plans to buid a 30,000-seater stadium with retractable roof.

Seems a benefactor type of owner has come into the club with the mandate of moving it up the leagues.
30,000 seater stadium looks like their aiming for the Premiership!

Shortly to be appended to https://www.606v2.com/t8633-neil-back-takes-over-coaching-rugby-lions ?

Portnoy wrote:Shortly to be appended to https://www.606v2.com/t8633-neil-back-takes-over-coaching-rugby-lions ?

Yep

Perhaps their model for how to do it will be London Scottish?

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Perhaps their model for how to do it will be London Scottish?

Or Richmond?

Spend lots of money, change your mind and liquidate the club?

I’ve commented on this elsewhere, I believe that the Midlands has a big enough population to support another Premiership club, but I’m not sure Rugby is the right candidate, especially with the parameters being discussed.

A 30K stadium definitely seems overly ambitious to me, when you consider that Rugby itself only has a population of 60K! (wider borough 90K) Factor in that it is smack bang in between Leicester and Northampton who have existing fan bases in the area. I’d have thought a 12K-18K sized stadium would be more appropriate and realistic.

Strange world we live in, Neil Back has loads more experience at coaching a team at the foot of a very competitive league and yet his going to be in NL3 next season while a inexperienced coach/manager/whatever you want to call him, is trusted to tack charge of our national team with no experience what’s so ever?

One day Tigers' ex-players will hold every media and management position worth having in English rugby.

Is it a mould or just mouldy?

Portnoy wrote:One day Tigers' ex-players will hold every media and management position worth having in English rugby.

Is it a mould or just mouldy?

You could say similar about the Canterbury influence in NZ Portnoys

Yes the "plan" is clealry to get rapid promotion and build a new rugby powerhouse ....but youd have to seriosuly question if this backing is real. Theres endless examples of sham investments in sports clubs used to draw in other investement and run off with it.
Id seriously question why you would buy a 5th tier club when theres plenty of second tier ones despertaly looking ofr such investment with much better existing support and potential than a tiny town which already has 3 premiership clubs in reasonable proximity.
Even Baths millions havent been able to buy them instant success. Lets imagine the money is real its still going to take 4 promotions to get them to the premiership (so thats 4 years), which then puts them in a league where no-ones actually making any profit and most clubs are struggling to manage their losses.
30,000 seater stadium? Not even Tigers need one.

It just deoesnt sound right to me. Either this guy really really loves the club that much that hes willing to pour money into a massive whole for 5 years minimum, or hes been sold a lemon and is wildly optimistic about the future profitability of rugby, or hes a charlatan and at best this is a tax dodge.

Personaly I wont be cashing in my pension fund and investing it in their shares.

I for one Biscuit, Just like you (I suppose) wouldn't put a tuppneybit in a collection box that supported a sugar daddy.

Where have the clubs gone?

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Id seriously question why you would buy a 5th tier club when theres plenty of second tier ones despertaly looking ofr such investment with much better existing support and potential than a tiny town which already has 3 premiership clubs in reasonable proximity.

There will be a certain amount of leading with the heart rather than the head on this point. Imagine, owning a Premiership rugby team in the town of Rugby of all places!

Neil Backs a fool for going there.

OK turns out the guy owns a compoany called "rugby contruction" so theres an obvious sponsorship/marketting angle here.

You coudl still colour me amazed if they end up with a 30,000 seater stadium and a premiership place within 5 years.
Maybe Im being a bit cynical, but he is a builder.