1
Former All Blacks scrum coach Greg Feek lands with the Blues
The Blues have landed recent All Blacks scrum guru Greg Feek ahead of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season.
ADVERTISEMENT
Feek was the mind behind a New Zealand scrum that improved dramatically throughout the 2023 Rugby World Cup, having bested Ireland, Argentina and even outperforming the South African scrum on paper in the knockout stages.
He’ll oversee a Blues front-row unit that has lost one of the game’s best in Nepo Laulala but added the services of Angus Ta’avao to mitigate that loss.
“There’s been a bit of movement in Super Rugby coaching circles after the World Cup so when the opportunity at the Blues came up, I jumped at the chance,” Feek said of his appointment.
“What really excites me is the chance to work with some of the younger Blues boys. The likes of Joshua Fusitu’a and PJ Sheck are at the start of their Super Rugby journeys, and it’s my job to come in and help them improve.
“There’s also guys like Ofa [Tuungafasi] and Gus [Ta’avao] who I’ve worked with previously, so it will be nice to go in with some established relationships.”
Established relationships in the coaching box as well as on the field, as new Blues head coach Vern Cotter was forwards coach at the Crusaders while Feek was finishing his playing career there in 2005.
“I’ve played under Vern and coached against him in the Six Nations when I was with Ireland. I have a lot of respect for him and I’m looking forward to working with him as a coach.
“Similarly, I’ve played with and against (Blues assistant coaches) Jason O’Halloran, Paul Tito and Craig McGrath. It’s great to be able to reconnect and give back to the game we love.”
ADVERTISEMENT
The former All Blacks prop was heavily endorsed by Blues GM of Rugby Josh Blackie, who said he’s the right man to come along at the right time.
“Greg’s a proven coach with a wealth of knowledge and experience. We want to develop our propping stocks here at the Blues and think he is the right man to take the scrum forward,” he said.
The Blues have clearly expressed a clear goal for the 2024 season, and Feek is familiar with the challenge of being within reach of silverware.
“From what I’ve seen and heard, this is a Blues side who want to win a championship. As a coach it’s great to have a hungry group of athletes who are willing to work towards that common goal.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
1 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
3 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
3 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
3 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to comments