Andrew Hore has arrived in south Wales to begin work as the Ospreys first ever Elite Performance Director, hoping to create a long lasting legacy that will see the region established as one of world rugby"â¬â¢s leading powers.
The New Zealander, generally regarded as one of the most respected young rugby brains in the world, has left his post as Player Development/Sports Science Manager for the NZRFU to take up his new role at the Ospreys on a three and a half year contract.
Currently settling into the set-up at the Ospreys HQ in Llandarcy, he will have responsibility for all rugby operations at the region and will oversee a review of the current regional set-up, from top to bottom, before planning and implementing structures that bosses hope will help to establish them in the top tier of the game.
Having spent his first few days finding his way around both the Liberty Stadium and Llandarcy, the former WRU National Fitness Coach says that he can sense that the region is one that is going places.
He commented:
"Just being around the Ospreys camp for the last few days I can sense a real air of excitement. Things have gone well on the pitch this season with the team progressing in the cups, we've contributed a phenomenal number of players to a successful Six Nations campaign for Wales and we've got quality young players coming through the ranks so the excitement is understandable.
"What I have to do now is to work with everybody at the region to build on this and ensure that it's not all just a flash in the pan.
We want long term success for the Ospreys business, on and off the field, and it's my goal to create a long lasting legacy that will see the Ospreys established as a real world power.
"It's not going to happen overnight. In the short term I have to find my feet, I may have worked in a Welsh environment previously but I have to immerse myself in the Ospreys culture, find out what we have here, what goals people have and how they want to achieve these goals before looking at ways to help us go forward."
According to Hore, his role is a long-term one that will see him working closely with the staff and coaches at the region to deliver success, although he is warning observers not to expect any recognisable changes straight away:
"I'll be working on things that will benefit the Ospreys three, four or more years down the line, not three or four months. This isn't a short-term job, so I wouldn't expect anyone on the outside to be able to see anything change overnight. I'll be looking at all levels of the business from a rugby perspective with the aim of creating a strategic plan to move the Ospreys forward. I want to put in place world leading practices that will help to not only attract the very best talent but more importantly, to develop the outstanding talent already in place here, players, coaches and staff alike.
"I'm not here to wield the axe, I'm here to help everyone improve, to identify areas where things could be done differently. I won't be involved on a day-to-day basis like I was at the WRU, it'll be more like the role I have just left in New Zealand where the targets of the job are long term, allowing me to think more about strategies and structures that can make a real difference without the pressure of having to worry about tomorrow or next week."
Hore takes up his post with confidence high in the camp and with two massive cup clashes with Saracens on the horizon, but he disagrees with the notion that arriving at the time he does makes his job easier:
"I definitely wouldn't say that. It's probably easier to come into a job like this when things are at a low, as that's when people realise that things aren't working and will be more receptive to change. When a team or a business is doing well, that's when complacency can set in, people can start believing that what they are doing is the right way, the only way even and it makes it more difficult to get across an alternative point.
"What I've seen and heard so far suggests that isn't the case at the Ospreys, all my discussions since I arrived have shown that we have ambitious, go-ahead people involved at all levels, who want to improve themselves and want to improve the Ospreys year-on-year which can only be a good thing for all concerned."