IT’S NOT QUITE true to say that Jono Gibbes, in his five years as forwards coach with Leinster, changed the blue pack from ‘ladyboys’ to lords of Europe, but it’s not far off either.
The solidifying of Leinster’s soft centre began with Michael Cheika and David Knox; smart acquisitions like Stephen Keogh, Shane Jennings and Leo Cullen giving a hard edge and a platform, for the stellar set of backs to work off.
It’s been curious to see an initial reaction of apathy from many Leinster fans as, five major titles later, the man who built on those foundations leaves for pastures new.
Gibbes is a man who is more than happy to shun the spotlight. He is one of the more entertaining interviewees around Leinster as his eyes always betrayed him, giving away his true feelings before he could churn out a stock answer with a broad smile.
Once he is done talking to the media, his subtlety wears off when he immerses himself in his real job of talking to his players.
Our favourite barometer of what Gibbes brought to the table remains his dealings with a young flanker in 2010. Dominic Ryan had broken into the first team under the watch of Cheika. A busy openside with bouncing blonde hair, he was only ever going to stand out. Under Schmidt, he stood out in a pre-season game after the clean-cut carrier won a 30-metre dash for the try-line.
Ryan looked different this season, it was put to Gibbes: ‘”Yeah, well I’m not too happy about forwards in my pack having highlights.” He took pride in those words, ‘my pack’. He probably didn’t take as much pride when Ryan revealed Gibbes had re-christened him ‘Dominique’ until his hair returned to a natural shade.
It’s that no-nonsense, old-school- fresh-ideas approach that turned Leinster from a side with a decent improving pack, to the side with a veritable all-terrain hit squad – the best front eight on the continent.
Devin Toner is by no means a stalwart of Gibbes’ unit through the years, but he is a man who has come all the way up the curve on his watch. Asked if the Top 14 side will be getting their money’s worth from the Kiwi, Toner says:
“I suppose Clermont are getting what they want. They want a hard-nosed coach with a lot of experience.
“I’ve said it before, but it’s great playing under a coach who has that experience of All Blacks and that level of rugby behind him. The forwards will have it up against them at Clermont anyway,” he joked.
“He’s been a massive influence on my career, a massive influence on the province. He’s grown as a coach over the years and we’ll be sad to see him go.”
Through three head coaches, Leinster have grown used to success with Gibbes on board. Cheika and Joe Schmidt are revered, and rightly so, for their contribution to the province, but the culture shift that has swept through root and branch could not have been achieved without that Waikato work ethic.
Gibbes has set the bar high for himself in just his second coaching role. Replacing him, though, should be an even more daunting task for his replacement.
