Richard Cockerill has revealed two astonishing clauses he had in his contract as Georgia head coach – and how one of them led him to lose his job.
In the week Wales bid to avoid a 13th straight Six Nations loss, the former England hooker also restates the case for the winners of Europe’s second-tier competition to at least get a play-off shot at joining the championship.
Cockerill, 55, is back home in England following the abrupt ending of his two-year tenure in Tbilisi, where he led Georgia to back-to-back Rugby Europe titles without dropping a match.
The two KPIs
But for a last-gasp penalty loss to Japan in November he would have been in Amsterdam preparing Georgia to face the Netherlands in the defence of their title on Sunday.
“In my contract I had two KPIs,” he reveals exclusively to Planet Rugby. “One was that I could never lose to a Tier 2 country. If I did, there was three months notice.
“The second was, in a calendar year, I had to beat a Tier 1 team. Yet when you sign the contract you don’t actually know who you’re playing.
“We had fixtures against Ireland, South Africa and Japan. We lost to literally the last kick of the game against Japan. They used that to give me my three-month notice.
“The Japanese 10 misses that kick at goal and I’m still in position.”
Cockerill loved his time in Georgia; the warmth and hospitality of the people, the cosmopolitan feel of the capital city. Above all he appreciated the resilience of its rugby community to keep pushing against the locked door blocking their path to a seat at Europe’s top table.
“Georgians are just asking for an opportunity,” he says. “They’re a pretty proud nation. They love their rugby, they’re good people. They’ve worked hard, in the last 20 years, to get their game where it is today. They’ve won 13 of the last 14 Rugby Europe titles.
“But they’re at the glass ceiling, aren’t they? Without a Six Nations play-off there is no pathway to the top.
“And without that 90 per cent of their successful Under-20s programme will go to France. For the rugby, the money but also because after five years they are eligible to apply for French citizenship, which gives them a European passport enabling them to travel freely into Europe.
“Imagine 18, 19, 20 of the England U20s every year leaving England. That’s what’s happening with Georgia.”
Cockerill continues: “Do I feel rugby has let down Georgia? I don’t necessarily want to cause headlines, but tell me what is the mechanism to prove they can compete, where is the opportunity?
“Black Lion joining the URC [United Rugby Championship] is probably the only thing that can develop Georgian rugby beyond where it is at the moment. That, and a mechanism for them to play more Tier 1 teams.”
Frustrations
Neither of which is imminent. Meanwhile, Wales carry on losing. It is now three years since the land of the Dragon won a match in the Six Nations, a run of defeats highly likely to be extended by France on Sunday.
“Of course it’s frustrating,” Cockerill adds. “Let’s be honest, if Georgia, with their best team, played Wales this weekend, it would be a tight game, wouldn’t it?
“Do I think Georgia will ever be let into the Six Nations? I think it’s going to be very difficult. The biggest hope is probably not to replace anyone. It is that the tournament is expanded to seven or eight teams, potentially with South Africa.
“There needs to be some recognition that emerging rugby nations need an opportunity to grow. It happened with Italy and Fiji and look how they have benefited.
“For whatever reason Georgia don’t seem to be fashionable enough to be granted that opportunity. It’s not about being given a spot, but a chance to prove you’re good enough.
“I know the plan is for promotion and relegation in the new Nations Cup but that won’t be before 2030.
“So while Georgia are stuck in the second tier, Italy and Fiji and all the others are getting better, aren’t they? Because, inevitably, if you’re not moving forward, you’re falling behind the top 10 or 11 teams.
“And the other sides in the second tier, the likes of Spain, Portugal, Uruguay and Chile are all going to start to catch up.
“Maybe that suits World Rugby because then they can say, ‘Well, told you so, you’re not as good as you think you are’.”
Rumours and links
Georgia’s fate is no longer Cockerill’s responsibility, though he retains a strong allegiance to those he worked alongside and the nation they represent.
He has been linked with roles at Brive and Connacht but insists he has had no contact with the former and will not be applying for the latter.
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This weekend he will watch Scotland play England from the comfort of his couch, with knowledge of both camps. A former England forwards coach, he was boss of Edinburgh for four years.
“Having worked in Scotland and been close to a lot of those players, I know that is a good squad,” he says. “But for whatever reason, as soon as Scotland start talking themselves up, they seem to struggle.
“At Murrayfield they have to win. The team’s under pressure, the coach is under pressure and, with the crowd behind them, they do have it in them to beat England.
“England should win because they’re the better team. Steve [Borthwick] is doing a great job. They’re going to be a real force by the time the World Cup comes around.
“You just wouldn’t put it past Scotland to make the game messy enough for them to win. They’ve done it the last two times.”