Blues shock with late decision to demote head coach
The Blues have restructured their coaching roles for the upcoming Investec Super Rugby Championship.
Leon MacDonald has today been appointed as the new head coach on a three-year term while retaining the attack portfolio alongside Tom Coventry as the forwards coach and Daniel Halangahu as the skills and back coach. Tana Umaga will take up a two-year contract as an Assistant Coach responsible for defence.
In May this year Umaga had his initial contract extended to 2019, but after the end of season review with the Blues and NZR Boards, all parties agreed that a re-alignment of roles would be the best way forward. The recent changes in Blues ownership meant that the full end-of-year review had not been formally reviewed by the Board until last month when it first met.
“After the end of season review I signalled that my passion lies with my new responsibility as Defence Coach and I believe that is where I can make the greatest contribution and difference at the Blues,” said Umaga.
“I support the decision to appoint Leon and I believe that the coaching team of Leon, Tom and myself is the best that we could have at the Blues for the 2019 season and beyond.”
MacDonald, the 56-Test All Black, got involved in the coaching environment at the Tasman Mako after his retirement from playing in 2010, before becoming assistant coach at the Crusaders in 2017. He then returned to coach the Mako in 2017 and 2018 and coached with Umaga at the New Zealand Under-20s campaign in 2015.
“I am highly motivated to help with the Blues’ vision for success,” said MacDonald. “I decided to move to the Blues to work with Tana and with Tom Coventry, and nothing has changed in that respect.
“This opportunity has arisen and I am honoured to have been considered for the role. I will give it my heart and soul. I’ve also talked to Tana and Tom and both of them are both hugely supportive and also very committed to our combined desire to continue to move this club forward.”
Blues Chief Executive Michael Redman said the change was a progressive decision by everyone involved.
“We have said previously that starting from scratch every time we are under pressure has not served the Blues well in the past. This is arguably the most challenging of the Super Rugby teams and currently the most challenging environment, at least in New Zealand,” said Redman. “Tana has a tremendous amount to contribute on the grass and he has learned a lot about this team. He can still apply this experience in his new role which will greatly assist Leon as new Head Coach.
“We are aware that this timing is not ideal but that was for good reason. That said, I want to publicly acknowledge everyone’s willingness to embrace change, and for their commitment to our club.
“We are excited about the leadership and vision that Leon will bring with the strong support from Tana, Tom and Dan.”
New Zealand Rugby’s Chief Rugby Officer Nigel Cass said Tana’s continued involvement would be critical to the club’s smooth transition to the new structure.
“It’s a credit to Tana, that he has put the team before himself, including ensuring there is continuity into the new season. “
Umaga said: “It’s been a challenging three years for me working for the first time as a Super Rugby Head Coach. I have learned a lot and I know I still have a lot more to offer.
“I will be 100 per cent behind helping to implement some of the strategies that we have identified that are still works-in-progress.
“I’ve learned a lot about the unique situation of the Blues and I will support and share those experiences with Leon, Tom and Daniel to best help bring success back to this club. At the same time my primary focus is on the really vital role as Defence Coach.”
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
An on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to comments