Rugby Special Report: The Legend, Neil Back doubted to be sacked
Neil Antony Back is struggling through his greatest fights as he is giving in everything to save Leeds Carnegie from a drop out. Leeds has lost all the matches in Aviva Premiership and has to win against Newcastle by any measure, to avoid a major setback.
Neil Back accepted that they need to start wining in order to survive, as survival is there only objective. Back is not used to be in this position as a coach or a player. Neil Back’s life chronicle has been a conquest over misfortune. He believes he can take
Leeds out of this position.
Neil Antony Back was an International Rugby Union player for England. The 41-year old star had also played with Leicester Tigers. He has captained both the teams during his career. He achieved 66 caps for his national team and has captained England four
times. He incorporated his skills as an open side flanker and played a vital role in helping England win the 2003 world cup. He also works for Equity & Law, an insurance company with Nick Beal who is another British player.
Neil Back and Nick Beal have names that are anagram to each other. Both have this atypical peculiarity of being fashionable players. The flanker has played memorable matches, putting life to the game. He formed the famous back-row unit with Lawrence Dallaglio
and Richard Hill. He was known for dominating at back and controlling the ball behind of a rolling maul. He was also Leicester’s top try scorer in his era. Back was 34 when he won the world cup and vowed not to retire. However, he retired after being dropped
from England’s squad during Six Nations 2004, due to his competitive nature. Back played his last top-flight rugby match at age of 36 for Lions. Back was oldest Lion to ever play. In June 2008, Neil Back was appointed as the head coach of Leeds Carnegie in
conjunction with Andy Key who then later became Director of Rugby.
During his rugby career as a player, critics and coaches discouraged him due to his small size. He was reckoned too short for an international rugby player. He later proved himself struggling through these claims by winning the world cup and became a rugby
legend. Yet again, he is facing a challenge coaching a team which hasn’t won a single match this season.
"We've also questioned the players, asking whether they have belief in the tactics and techniques we're adopting. They've assured us they do."
said Back. He pushed to the fact that he is not panicking or dreading, even after a report that notified that he might get sacked if Carnegie looses the last match.
Last year Leeds was the bottom team with two points less than now. The club ended up at the 10th position last year and Andy Key was named as the Premiership Director of Rugby of the season. Hetherington said that there is a self-belief throughout the club
and the management configuration of club is capable of driving the team where it needs to be. He assured,
"We've never been a club that goes around sacking people. We've only had three coaches in the last 15 years."
Back seems determined and focused to stand up to this fight. "I only know one way and that's to give everything, which is what I'm doing, as are all of the management team and players," he said. He is often asked that why doesn’t he take a break
from this and cherish the old memories he had with England and Leicester. His answer is simple and acute,
“I absolutely love the sport and what I do.” Neil Back has never done things the easy way. He believes if one has to do his work in limited resources, it means the potential has to be elevated to cope up.
Leeds has welcomed back the two International players Hendre Fourie and Steve Thompson this week. Hopes are not so high but Neil Back’s fortitude is.
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