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'I needed a break': Former Highlanders coach rules himself out of Moana Pasifika role
Former Highlanders boss Aaron Mauger has ruled himself out of becoming Moana Pasifika head coach in their inaugural season next year.
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Mauger, the former All Blacks five-eighth, was released by the Highlanders last September following a below-par three-year spell with the Dunedin-based franchise and is currently a free agent in the professional coaching market.
Of Samoan and Cook Island heritage, Mauger was one of three assistant coaches for Moana Pasifika when they debuted against the Maori All Blacks in Hamilton last December, but he has eliminated the prospect of joining the side full-time next year.
The 40-year-old told Stuff that his tenure at the Highlanders had been a stressful one and that he “was operating at levels far from my best during the last four years” as he struggled to balance family life and his coaching commitments.
It’s for that reason, he said, that he has opted to keep himself at arm’s length from putting himself in contention to join Moana Pasifika’s coaching staff in 2022.
“I’m currently in a good personal space, I needed a break from leading a top level environment,” Mauger told Stuff.
“It’s been a challenging last four years coming back from UK, losing both parents within a year of each other and working hard to settle our four kids in a new place away from family whilst trying to establish myself as head coach at the Highlanders where our performances and results were hovering below expectations.
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“So, I needed a breather to reflect and assess.
“I was operating at levels far from my best during the last four years so it’s been good to take stock and personally get back on track, the break from the intensity of leading a professional team has been hugely beneficial in terms of balance, perspective and all-round fulfilment.
“I’ve enjoyed paying more attention and spending more time on the most important things in life in particular being more present as a husband and father.
“Time is one thing you can’t take back in life and this is something I’ve been able to give a lot more of in the last five months.”
Capped 46 times by the All Blacks between 2001 and 2007, Mauger has gone on to build a credible coaching portfolio since his retirement as a player in 2010.
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You get the feeling this guy could fly even if he were rushed straight into the team… #SuperRugbyAotearoa @ChiefsRugby https://t.co/uDyr1aqbWt
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 21, 2021
Between 2013 and 2015, Mauger acted as an assistant coach to former teammate Todd Blackadder at the Crusaders.
During that time, the Crusaders finished as beaten semi-finalists in 2013 and beaten finalists in 2014, before they missed the play-offs for the first time in 14 years in Mauger’s final year with the franchise.
A move to Gallagher Premiership club Leicester Tigers followed in 2015 as Mauger took over from Matt O’Connor as head coach at Welford Road.
His first season in England ended with semi-final finishes in the Premiership and Champions Cup, while he delivered an Anglo-Welsh Cup title and another Premiership semi-final in his second season in charge, although Leicester didn’t qualify for the Champions Cup play-offs.
A brief stint as Samoa assistant coach in 2017 preceded his arrival at the Highlanders as Tony Brown’s successor in 2018, the same year he guided the southerners to their fifth straight Super Rugby quarter-final appearance.
The following year, the Highlanders scraped into the quarter-finals again after winning just six of their 16 matches, but had their campaign ended by the Crusaders in the first round of the play-offs.
Last season, Mauger led the Highlanders to just one win from six Super Rugby matches before COVID-19 hit, before coaching them to a fourth-place finish in Super Rugby Aotearoa with three wins from eight matches.
While he was let go by the Highlanders at the end of that season – ironically being replaced by Brown, who initially returned to the franchise as an assistant coach last year – Mauger’s experience would be highly valued for a new team like Moana Pasifika.
This guy put an excellent performance on the park in last year's North v South game… And now he's back doing it for @CrusadersRugby. #SuperRugbyAotearoa #AllBlackshttps://t.co/6Li2owpfv0
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 20, 2021
However, the three-time Super Rugby champion remains intent on staying in Dunedin, having taken up an advisor role for local club Kaikorai while also being involved in John McGlashan College’s rugby programme.
That hasn’t stopped him from helping out Moana Pasifika from afar, though, as he told Stuff he has been in contact with the franchise’s general manager Kevin Senio to help prepare the team ahead of their induction into a new-look Super Rugby competition.
“Key appointments of coaching and management team are absolutely critical to get the ball rolling with planning and preparation for the 2022 season,” Mauger told Stuff.
“Player recruitment will also need to begin immediately and the first few signings will be key to creating the excitement for other players to follow.
“There is a lot to be learned from other Super Rugby clubs either successful or dreadfully unsuccessful in some cases on the infant stages of building an organisation so there is plenty of information to help guide Moana through these preparation stages.
“For me, I haven’t put my name forward as a coach at this stage.”
Senio told The Breakdown on Monday that Moana Pasifika are currently putting together a shortlist of candidates to form the franchise’s coaching staff next season, while a 38-man playing roster is expected to be announced over the coming months.
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Comments on RugbyPass
True Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
21 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
10 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
78 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
21 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
10 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
21 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
21 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
21 Go to comments