in

just over 24 hours we'll walk into a site that when we first walked into five years ago was a wood three years ago They cleared a few trees and we dug the first sod in the digger.

And I think now on Sunday afternoon, walk into an almost complete building in early 27.

I think it's an unbelievable legacy.

A lot of hard work from a lot of people has gone into raising.

A million in the first walk, one and a half in the second.

The guys have climbed the mountains a year ago in June.

But when you are doing something like this, have you heard those kind of stories from people who are just so grateful for what you're doing because of this walk and the money you're raising for them?

Oh.

I did enough video stuff and, you know, I'd like to think I did plenty of video stuff, but not to the extent that their coaches are having to do it.

And just the thought of sitting down and watching four games back to back every day just wouldn't...

I still watch quite a bit of rugby, and I watch it for, for different reasons, if we're looking at players and trying to get, get my take on, on things.

But ultimately, that the, to get back into the game, this probably felt like the right role.

And, um, look, there's a few things that I do slightly differently.

I don't travel any of the away games, and probably a bit of that is to, to keep a little bit of distance because, like, the sad reality is, and probably found it quite difficult to do, is when you're having conversations with guys that have been at this club, even if they've only been at the club for a year or two, but especially ones that have been there for maybe eight, 10 years plus, and you're having a conversation to say there isn't a contract, it's really difficult.

[laughs]

You couldn't stay away.

No, it was kind of post-retirement I'd made a bit of decision to, I suppose it was COVID, in the middle of COVID I was helping Ciarán Campbell who was running our academy then, Willie Anderson had just left because of COVID we couldn't replace the forwards coach in that academy role so I was kind of helping him a little bit.

And then I got an opportunity to work for an insurance company.

It was a guy that I'd met doing some of the Ireland Funds dinners in London.

He said, when you retire, look us up.

We'd love to do something with you.

He loved sort of what I'd been saying that night at one of the dinners.

What has changed? I know you've only been in the door a few months, but what do you think has changed?

And just sort of his approach will be and his expertise and how he'll compliment Andy Farrell.

He probably works more than any other coach that I've worked with.

He'd be right up there alongside Steve Borthwick in terms of the hours he spends in front of the computer, the analysis he'll do.

And no matter what extras you want to do, he'll always do it.

Like going to the 19 World Cup he spent, he would always do the line art stuff for me.

We were doing crazy stuff like in swimming pools because we knew it was going to be hot and humid, like throwing line-outs in the swimming pool.

He'd be standing on the edge, I'd be in firing up, he'd be firing the ball back into the water.

And then, because you went home, didn't you go