Two successful coaches discuss the grave shortage of BAME backroom staff among England’s Premiership clubs
Collin Osborne still wonders why the call to coach representative rugby never came. Osborne worked for Harlequins for more than 20 years, arriving at the club shortly after rugby union turned professional and departing two years ago. In that time he ran the academy and was skills coach when Harlequins were crowned Premiership champions in 2012.
It is not that he is bitter, nor does he wish to point fingers but having achieved his qualifications the year after the former England head coach Stuart Lancaster, Osborne – one of a handful of black coaches to work in the Premiership – feels the question is relevant. “As a senior coach, coaching at Harlequins I was never ever once offered or invited to coach any representative side. Surrey U11s to Surrey men – never. A lot of my contemporaries were. I was at one of the best clubs in Harlequins but I was never asked. I don’t know why it was.”
Written by Gerard Meagher
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jun/12/collin-osborne-and-paul-hull-i-dont-see-many-black-players-in-key-roles under the title “
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