Harlequins were quick to dispel any suggestion they had taken the easy option by naming John Kingston as Conor O’Shea’s successor as director of rugby.

After a process which chief executive David Ellis described as an “extensive and thorough search”, they plumped for a man who has been with the club since 2001.

In many ways, appointing someone who is right under their nose is probably braver than going for a marquee name from outside – to follow in the footsteps of O’Shea and Dean Richards.

But for a club so protective of its own ethos, appointing a man so steeped in the style of play and unique way that Quins operate, makes a lot of sense.

He play not be a household name away from south-west London but, where it matters most, Kingston already commands respect, having been instrumental in the development of the likes of Nick Easter, Joe Marler and Kyle Sinckler.

And the other changes in the backroom staff underline the club’s commitment to ensure that O’Shea’s departure to coach Italy are leading only to evolution rather than revolution.

True, news that England coach Graham Rowntree is joining the staff attracted as many headlines as Kingston’s promotion to the top job.

But otherwise the faces remain the same, Mark Mapletoft is stepping up into Kingston’s old job as head coach with Easter – having combined playing for Quins with a role as Wimbledon head coach for the past two years – an obvious choice to join a set-up which has also long featured Tony Diprose and Collin Osborne.

As Kingston has pointed out himself, appointing from within didn’t do Liverpool any harm – helping them to become the most successful football club this country has ever seen in the 1970s and 1980s.

Bill Shankly may be the most revered of all former their managers but, if anything, immediate successors Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan went on to enjoy even greater glory with a now unthinkable four European Cup triumphs in eight years.

It's not just football clubs, with the possible exception of Arsenal, who would envy that kind of continuity now. And part of the reason why Quins should be congratulated for daring to be different.