Brad Thorn's success with Queensland Reds is a timely reminder that old fashioned hard school coaching still works.
Observe most coaches boxes these days and the head honcho is usually peering at a laptop, surrounded by acolytes transfixed by whatever is blinking at them on the computer screen. You talk to them, and they utter their own baffling coach-speech lingo, full of private nicknames and abbreviations such as "S and Cs", (whatever that is.... apparently, it's all about making the body beautiful), and they'll often attempt to baffle you with new age mumbo jumbo.
Watch Thorn on game day and it's simple stuff. There's no laptop in front of him. It's just him leaning on the desk, occasionally going to a GI Joe walkie talkie to pass on messages to the sideline. And you just know these messages are basic, clear. His message to the supporters via the media is similarly succinct. Often there's not one. If there is- it's like himself- uncomplicated. It is what it is. And whatever it is, it's working.
On display is a young, inexperienced team responding to the faith shown by their new leader. And by winning three straight games the Reds have already achieved as many wins as they did in 2016. One more and they equal the same number of wins they finished up with last year.
This is a team playing for their coach. Yes, it still happens. You can go on about team goals, personal expectations and intricate game-plans, but privately ask players- and many will admit a critical factor in them going the extra metre is if they believe in their coach. Those who are wary of their coach often fade when the pressure is applied.
Faith is crucial, as is the fear factor.
Since taking over the Reds, Thorn has made it clear he only wants those who are committed, show character and are willing to play as he did during an exemplary career- hard, direct and always forthright. As he is such a straightforward individual, the players know there are certain standards, and if they are not maintained there will be casualties. The fear of letting down a fearless coach gives the player no option but to perform.
You can see it in their commitment to defence, especially against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires last weekend when they succeeded in all of their 149 second-half tackles. And so much for traditional South American set-piece dominance. The Reds won that scrum duel to enjoy their best win in years. As Thorn explained: "There's ticker there... you don't walk away from the ground or a TV screen saying these guys don't have a go."
This is Reds rugby of old. It's not flashy. It's often all over the place, relying more on adrenalin than analysis, muscle rather than manoeuvres. It lacks polish, but it is having the desired effect of annoying opponents.
Thorn also clearly doesn't want any distractions, or those who could be divisive. To achieve that, Thorn has made the hard decisions to ensure a considerable improvement in team culture at a province which has since 2013 been a miserable also-ran.
It would have been very easy to keep Quade Cooper in the fold. But Thorn has serious reservations and from day one made it clear Cooper wasn't part of his plans- even though the player was the province's prime drawcard, and on an exorbitant salary. Instead at No.10 he has stuck with the reliable in Jono Lance and the promising in Hamish Stewart.
These are not exactly the decisions expected of a new time Super Rugby coach. It took guts. Thorn-like guts.
Now Thorn is bound to take the same approach to another big distraction- Karmichael Hunt. While Hunt, after a lenient Rugby Australia four-match suspension and $10,000 fine for his second drug-related incident, is now able to play for the Reds, the strong word out of Brisbane is that the league and AFL convert might as well look elsewhere to continue his football career.
The Queensland Rugby Union thankfully realise playing Hunt is not a good look. They have listened to their core members, who believe Hunt after his indiscretions should be moved on. Thorn is also aware Hunt would be an unwanted disturbance. Getting rid of Hunt is the right decision.
Getting to Cape Town has instead become Thorn's biggest dilemma. You cannot say Thorn's introduction to Super Rugby coach has been easy. Apart from shaking up the player personnel, Thorn is now overseeing a team forced to embark on a diabolical Magical Mystery Tour to get to their next match against the Stormers in Cape Town.
When leaving Argentina, the team was refused permission to board the flight to Johannesburg as they had not had their yellow fever inoculations. Instead the Reds had to fly to London to board a flight to take them to South Africa. A fine mess which has added an extra day to their already long travelling schedule.
If after such an excruciating here, there and everywhere trip the Reds can beat the Stormers, then the latest super coach deserves nothing less than a ticker-tape parade on the team's return...preferably in typical Thorn fashion around Ballymore on the back of a tractor.