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Chiefs Manawa unveil coaching line-up for inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki season
The Chiefs Manawa team have confirmed an experienced coaching group for the inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki Women’s competition this year.
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High-calibre coaches, Crystal Kaua and Rodney Gibbs will join Chiefs Manawa head coach Allan Bunting as his assistant coaches.
Kaua spent several years in the Waikato before heading overseas to coach. She successfully demonstrated her ability while coaching at Hamilton Girls’ High School and with the University of Waikato XVs programme before venturing overseas to build her sevens resume. The current Black Ferns Sevens skills coach and analyst has gained an abundance of experience overseas in the Cook Islands and most recently Japan, while also being heavily involved in the Black Ferns Sevens Development framework.
Gibbs began his coaching career in the Bay of Plenty following a professional playing career for his home province. Gibbs is no stranger to high-performance coaching, being a part of the Bay of Plenty Steamers coaching group from 2013 as the side’s assistant coach. Making the shift to the women’s game in 2018, Gibbs headed the women’s performance programme and took up the role of head coach for the Bay of Plenty Volcanix. Gibbs has been a part of the New Zealand Rugby High Performance framework, leading the NZ Barbarians team against the Black Ferns in last year’s November series.
Newly appointed Chiefs Manawa assistant coach Kaua said: “We have a platform that is a game-changer for women’s rugby and I am honoured to be a part of the inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki competition.”
“We have a great opportunity to be a part of something special. I love the Chiefs Rugby Club and what it represents, and I want to do everything I can to help them succeed.”
“I’m excited to work alongside Bunts and Gibby. We all care deeply about people and we also want to play a brand of rugby that is innovative and inspiring,” finished Kaua.
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Chiefs Manawa assistant coach Gibbs said: “It’s a real privilege to be given the opportunity to be involved with the Waitomo Chiefs Manawa team in the inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki competition. Coming from Bay of Plenty, I have a real connection with the Chiefs Rugby Club which gives real meaning to the responsibility we have to represent our region and people.”
“I’m looking forward to working alongside the management team that has been selected. Especially the opportunity to learn and share ideas with Bunts and Crystal to create an environment and team that will produce results for not only 2022, but into the future as well.
“When you look at the calibre of the players that have been selected, it’s pretty hard not to be excited about what lies ahead.”
New Zealand Rugby has announced the full squads for the first ever season of Super Rugby Aupiki. https://t.co/lneR7Z1KPi
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 4, 2021
Chiefs Manawa head coach Bunting said: “It is great to have the combination of coaching experience that both Crystal and Gibby (Rodney) bring to our environment.”
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“Crystal has a wealth of experience and has contributed to women’s rugby in a massive way. Crafting her coaching career in both fifteens and sevens, she has been very successful and produced a stream of talent into Black Ferns Sevens and XVs through her work at Hamilton Girls’ High School. Crystal’s desire, drive and her experience has led to her own successful programmes here and overseas making her a lot more than just a coach. This is reflected in where she is right now, being part of the Black Ferns Sevens coaching team. To have her in our coaching group will be invaluable for our team’s growth.”
“Gibby also comes with a wealth of experience is well established in his coaching and has been very influential in the development in both men’s and women’s rugby, locally and nationally. The former Bay of Plenty Steamers Assistant Coach has an excellent rapport with the players and has contributed to the growth of women’s rugby with his time in the Bay and more recently leading the NZ Barbarians on a quality campaign. Being a former 10 as a player, the knowledge he brings from both a men’s and women’s high-performance environment will complete our coaching combination and form a unit that will maximise the growth and development of our team.”
Chiefs Rugby Club chief executive officer Michael Collins said: “We are pleased to confirm a group of high-quality coaches assisting Bunts for the Waitomo Chiefs Manawa’s inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki campaign. Together we have a great group of talented individuals who will complement each other and we expect will draw the best out of our Waitomo Chiefs Manawa squad. We are excited to see what they will achieve.”
The first Chiefs Manawa squad was announced late last year ahead of the inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki competition kicking off in 2022. The draw is yet to be announced.
– Chiefs Rugby
Comments on RugbyPass
I like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
8 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
8 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to comments