Hurricanes announce new Head Coach
The Hurricanes and New Zealand Rugby have today announced that John Plumtree will take the Head Coach role for the 2019 Investec Super Rugby season.
Plumtree will take over from Chris Boyd after the 2018 season with Jason Holland confirmed as his Assistant Coach with both contracted for three years. Boyd is leaving New Zealand at the end of this season to take up the role as Director of Rugby at English club Northampton.
Hurricanes CEO Avan Lee said the club was delighted with Plumtree’s appointment which would be well received by fans and supporters alike.
“We’re fortunate that someone of Plum’s calibre has already been a key part of the Hurricanes environment. Having both him and Jason at the helm will certainly ensure some important continuity and familiarity, but more importantly, we know they are a formidable coaching combination.
“We know that these appointments will be popular with our fans.
“This does mean that with both Plum and Jason working alongside Chris this year, we are in the best position for a smooth transition to a new management team and new season in 2019.
“In the meantime, it is important to acknowledge that Chris has done a fantastic job in steering the ship and he continues to be focussed on our current season,” Lee said.
Plumtree and Holland have signed three-year deals through until the end of 2021.
The final make-up of the coaching staff for 2019 and beyond would be finalised soon with the focus now being on the 2018 season.
COACH ANNOUNCEMENT: John Plumtree will take the Hurricanes Head Coach role for the 2019 @SuperRugbyNZ season. Read more – https://t.co/oclFjsJjCm pic.twitter.com/mj1IEGkBGz
— Hurricanes Rugby (@Hurricanesrugby) March 6, 2018
New Zealand Rugby General Manager of Rugby Neil Sorensen said the appointment of Plumtree was great news.
“New Zealand Rugby is lucky to have a home-grown coach with such vast experience in a variety of high performance rugby environments.
“The Hurricanes performances over the past three years has reflected Plum’s influence, especially his defensive expertise, and no doubt that will grow further as he takes the Head Coaching reigns,” Sorensen added.
Plumtree will bring a wealth of experience to the job with a coaching career that spans more than two decades.
Having started with Swansea in 1997, Plumtree moved to New Zealand where he enjoyed a successful tenure with Wellington. He then moved to South Africa where he was in charge at Natal before accepting a role as forwards coach with Ireland.
The chance to return to New Zealand proved too much for Plumtree, however, who returned to Wellington to partner Boyd at the Hurricanes in 2015.
The partnership did not have to wait ?long to bring success to the club, first making the Investec Super Rugby Final in 2015 before winning the title a year later.
Holland has also made a successful transition into the Hurricanes coaching ranks since joining the club in 2016 after his move from Canterbury and a previous period at Munster, forming a strong partnership with Boyd and Plumtree.
Comments on RugbyPass
Can someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
227 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
227 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
227 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
19 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to comments