“It opened my eyes” – Sean Long looks back on time in rugby union

Cross-code coaches are nothing new in rugby union. The likes of Kevin Sinfield, Shaun Edwards, Mike Ford and more recently Lee Radford have all made the transition over from the 13-man code to the 15; and another one you can add to that list is Sean Long.

Long had a decorated career in ‘the other code’, representing St Helens on more than 300 occasions and also pulling on the famous Great Britain jersey; however in 2019 he walked the now much trodden path across to union, as he joined the Harlequins coaching set-up under Paul Gustard, and he still speaks highly of his former employers.

“A really good club, Harlequins, with a history behind them,” said Long. “I really enjoyed it at Harlequins.”

“I was coaching some fantastic players. Marcus Smith, Joe Marler, Alex Dombrant, just to name a few. Sinks (Kyle Sinckler) was there as well, so we had a really good team.”

During his rugby league career, Long was one of the best half-backs in the game. He helped the Saints to four Super League titles, five Challenge Cups and picked up the famous Man of Steel award back in 2000.

His experience at half-back meant he formed a close bond with then young starlet Marcus Smith, and Long detailed Smith’s hunger to learn at that early point in his playing career.

“Working with Marcus Smith was unbelievable with the talent he had.” he added. “I was an ex half-back, and the stuff I was trying to help him with he was like a sponge.”

Many coaches have now made the transition across from league to union though it still takes plenty of adjustment, and Long explained how quickly he had to adapt to rugby union.

“It opened my eyes. I like challenging myself as a player and a coach and when I got the opportunity to coach rugby union, I jumped at the chance.”

“It was different, and I had to learn, but luckily for me we had a long pre-season; and because we were in pre-season, I could implement some stuff that we could put on the field, which was good.”

The entirety of Long’s time in union was spent at the Stoop where he spent 15 months heading up the team’s attack, as well as serving as an assistant to Paul Gustard; but he easily could have ended up elsewhere, detailing that three Premiership clubs were after his expertise.

“I actually had the chance to go to three clubs,” he revealed. “When I was interested in going rugby union, Wasps came in, Gloucester came in and Harlequins came in. I met Paul Gustard and had a good chat with him and looked at the roster and thought I could make a difference here.”

Long has since moved back to rugby league following his departure from Quins at the end of the 2019/2020 season.

He was recently appointed Head Coach at League One side Oldham, where he works with former Bath director of rugby and Ireland defence coach Mike Ford.

Whilst his time in union is over, he took plenty from his time in the sport:  “I took a lot of stuff from rugby union into the coaching rugby league now. A lot of it – in the units in union – is player driven,” he said.  

“I know there are coaches for scrummaging, lineout, attack and skills and DOR; but it’s more player driven. One player will drive the units and you get them presenting your footage, and you get them to buy into it.”

Written by Louis Chapman-Coombe

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