20 Questions: Russell Earnshaw – former England Sevens coach

You left England 7s last month. Why?
A family decision. Last year I was away 140 days and in my last year coaching Birmingham, in 2012, I did 35,000 car miles and 95,000 air miles. Madness!
Enjoy your time with 7s?
Terrific. Last season was challenging with injuries, but to win in Wellington and end it by reaching the World 7s final was great.
What’s the best national 7s model?
New Zealand‘s pretty good. They have a core group and then identify future All Blacks to play with them. Julian Savea and Hosea Gear emerged that way.
Don’t our Premiership clubs see value in that?
Some do, some don’t. You hope those relationships can be built. If Wasps are honest, for example, Christian Wade might have benefitted from 7s.
Can Joe Lydon help build those bridges?
I’ve worked with Joe and what he’s done in Wales in terms of building relationships has been good. He’ll have a big influence and can make a difference.
How about bringing in the likes of George North for the Olympics?
He’s got a RWC in 2015 and can’t see him being available in 2016 as well. Guys like him and Alex Cuthbert could be okay at 7s but they won’t stand out.
Why not?
Because there are so many nuances in 7s. Despite what some people think, it takes months rather than weeks to develop a 7s player.
Biggest challenge facing GB Olympics 7s?
We should be medal contenders but our rugby boards need to get on with it. NZ, Fiji, Australia and others already have their programmes in place.
What are you up to now?
Teaching economics at Eastbourne College. I did economics at Cambridge and, as I say to academy and 7s players, it’s important to have something to fall back on.
Still coaching, though?
I’m doing coach mentoring through the RFU and looking at options with the IRB.
Have you finally hung up the boots?
I keep telling my wife I have but Eastbourne have a vets team and they’ve asked me to play, so I can’t rule out a return.
Got a Heineken Cup winners medal, haven’t you?
Yes, with Bath in 1998. I’d had a couple of good games playing for West Hartlepool against Bath and Andy Robinson brought me to the Rec.
You were only at Bath a couple of years. Why?
I had the talent but at that stage I probably thought ‘this is easy’ and that I didn’t need to try that hard. I could have done with a bit of the Andy Robinson about me.
Did you fall into the ‘party club’ trap at Bath?
If I’m honest, yes. There was an element of that and the old school nature at Bath meant we had some good nights out. It didn’t help.
Where did you start out in rugby?
At Stockton, same as Geoff Parling. I was a testosterone-fuelled teenager but we had a coach called Geoff Hurst – no, not that one – who was a huge influence on me.
Teenage rugby idol?
Zinzan Brooke. The stuff he did pushed the boundaries and he changed the face of forward play by kicking drop-goals. Very special.
Best coaching moment?
Keeping Birmingham Bees in the Championship in 2010. We beat Moseley 38-34 on the final day and I was in floods of tears. There’s a video on You Tube called Bees Great Escape which is worth watching.
If you could invite three dinner guests, who?
Stephen Fry, I met him at Cambridge once and love him, plus Neve Campbell, the actress, and Mo Farah.
Most unusual moment on the 7s circuit?
Trying to get my picture taken with Pamela Anderson at LA airport. She refused. I was knocked back by Kylie as well!
English coach to look out for?
Ian Peel, the England U20s scrum coach. He is just unbelievable. His detail and how he relates to boys is outstanding.