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Jamie Joseph's New Zealand return 'puts everyone on notice'
The Highlanders have made a huge statement in their off-season rebuild with the signing of Jamie Joseph to a newly created Head of Rugby role in 2024.
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It’s a position tailor-made to amplify Joseph’s quality and impact throughout the club, allowing the former Super Rugby champion to mentor coach Clarke Dermody, provide support for the coaching team as a whole and apply his “ruthless” player recruitment chops to the New Zealand scene in addition to managing player retention.
The Highlanders had already made a strong start to their rebuild, locking in several New Zealand U20 standouts as well as recruiting the likes of Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Rhys Patchell and Mitchell Dunshea.
But there’s plenty of work still to be done after missing the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs this season and losing 16 players for the 2024 season. Those departing players include Aaron Smith, Shannon Frizell, Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, Mitch Hunt and Josh Dickson; huge losses for the club.
But Joseph’s return after seven years in Japan – where he led the Brave Blossoms to their first-ever quarter-final at the 2019 Rugby World Cup – is a giant step in the right direction.
“Great news for the Highlanders,” Jeff Wilson told The Breakdown. “And I would say that it literally puts everyone on notice if you’re at the Highlanders. The fact that we know who Jamie is and what he’s done for the franchise, where he’s coming from and he wants to give back but he also wants to be a part of a successful franchise.
“So, he’s going to cast his eye over things. I think he’ll have a break after the World Cup because he’s been with Japan for a long time now but I’d say early next year he’ll come back into the fold.
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“The good thing about Jamie is he won’t rush to making decisions, he’ll come in and run his eye over things and then say ‘you know what? Here are some adjustments we can make’ to help the Highlanders compete.”
It’s shaping up to be a youthful Highlanders outfit with an eye on the future, with multiple young stars like Ethan de Groot and Folau Fakatava already donning the All Blacks jersey.
The addition of Joseph also adds veteran quality to the coaching landscape in New Zealand after it was decimated by the naming of 2024’s All Blacks coaching group, which included three of the five Super Rugby club’s head coaches.
Filling the void has been some world-class coaching talent with former Scotland and Fiji head coach Vern Cotter taking the helm at the Blues while former All Black sevens coach Clark Laidlaw assumes the reins at the Hurricanes.
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Joseph’s return though is the most promising in the eyes of former All Black Sir John Kirwin, who foresees All Blacks coaching potential for the 53-year-old.
“I think it’s great for New Zealand rugby as well because I think Jamie has the potential to be an All Blacks coach and the next All Blacks coach,” Kirwin stated. “I think he’s ambitious and I think he’s always been ambitious.”
Kirwin added how the appointment of Scott Robertson as next All Blacks coach – bucking the trend of promoting former assistants from within the All Blacks environment – has set a positive precedent for ambitious coaches like Joseph.
“The decision to actually pick a coach from home this time from Super Rugby is really good. (Jamie) has had his experience, he’s coming home and I think it’s great. I think he’s a good, rugby man.”
Of course, Kirwin couldn’t let the matter rest without throwing a dig at former Highlander Jeff Wilson.
“I’m pleased for your Highlanders, because you need something, son.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Why 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 commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
31 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn 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
4 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 Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 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!😭😭😭 !!!
31 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
31 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.
31 Go to comments