RUGBY UNION


I’ve always approached a job with the attitude that, if you’re not going to give one hundred percent, then don’t do the job.


”


Everyone is going to have their off days, that’s just human nature


keep tinkering and changing.” “I love that variety, and I’ve got a lot more scope with this job, it’s not just Twickenham. Eighty-five percent of my time will be dedicated to this and the site that it sits on, but I am currently assisting and offering advice to Neil Caldicott at Penny Hill Park to keep the facility there to the high standard expected of the RFU. I’m working with Neil to try and replicate that and building up a bit of a programme, and I’m planning to use that as a bit of a testbed for things that I want to use here.”


“I’ve always approached a job with the attitude that, if you’re not going to give one hundred percent, then don’t do the job. Everyone is going to have their off days, that’s just human nature. However, if your aim is to deliver that and go home and be able to sleep at night because you’ve done the best you could have done that day to deliver the pitch for an Autumn International fixture, or a Six Nations fixture, Premiership Final or whatever fixture is being played, it is


to keep it at that consistent level, and the only way you can do that is by putting one hundred percent in.”


“I’ve done it at all my jobs. I think when you’ve worked at the elite end for a period of time you’re very aware, but I think you have a bit more confidence in yourself after a certain period of time within a role that you can deliver. On the outside, you can give the portrayal of a cool, calm and collected individual but, on the inside, the mind is racing, going through the mental check list and the maintenance schedule. Is everything done to the standard required? If not, identify why not and then see if it can be changed. It’s a job at the end of the day, and our bottom line is to deliver that surface.”


“Nothing can replicate the pressure you feel to produce the goods. Somebody says I wish I had your problems, but do you? Where they go from the realms of, I’ve got problems, I can’t keep grass, and my pitches are overused etc. there are reasons behind


that. But, when all of those reasons get taken away from you because you’ve been given solutions for them, then you’ve got no excuses or reasons not to produce. That’s where the pressure comes from. And I think, when people look at it like that and think you’ve been given everything and something goes wrong, what happens then? And the answer is your neck is on the block and some serious questions are asked.” “It’s a high-pressure job, and there’s the understanding that there are certain elements that are taken out of your control. Ultimately, the weather is a huge factor, but we’ve been given all the resources and budget that’s required to maintain that surface. They’ve listened to your recommendations, they’ve provided you with the resources, and you have to deliver.” As previously mentioned, Jim is up for the challenge. His introduction to the job was a steady one. In August he was invited to the Quilter Internationals at Twickenham to see how a match day worked and experience


70


PC February/March 2020


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156