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John Hart's plan to end the Blues' 'endemic failure'
Former All Blacks coach John Hart, recently appointed to the Blues board after a restructure, has revealed how he plans to turn the Super Rugby club around.
“We had a two-hour workshop where the chairmen, CEOs, high performance managers and coaches of Auckland, North Harbour, Northland and the Blues sat down with our board,” Hart told Stuff. “I came away very heartened that we’re going to look at how we could do things better, how our academies could work better, and how we could co-ordinate better. I don’t think a lot of that has happened in the past.”
After experiencing success during the early days of professional rugby, the Blues have struggled of late and have failed to make a playoff appearance since 2011. Their ninth-place finish last season was their best since that last finals appearance.
“None of us can hide from the fact that the Blues haven’t performed for a number of years,” Hart continued. “There was a cohesive approach around the board table to say ‘how can we get better?’ We want the Blues to win but we’ve got to be realistic: we’re coming off a bad run and it’s going to take some time.
“In the past, while there was contact between the top people, there hasn’t been a cohesion. We can help with that, but it’s the people in the organisation who have to make it work.”
Hart believes new Blues head coach Leon MacDonald will be key, with his experience and success with the Crusaders and Tasman earning him the top role.
“He’s a bright young coach with a lot of qualities. He was a good player, a good person and he’s a good coach. If we all give him space and support he can make a wonderful contribution to the Blues long-term,” Hart said.
MacDonald has taken over from Tana Umaga, who remains with the side as an assistant. The pair are joined by former North Harbour coaches Tom Coventry and Daniel Halangahu.
“They’ve got a really good team. Tom [Coventry] is a very good coach too and retaining Tana brings continuity and knowledge.”
Hart is aware that the side won’t transform instantly, but is confident that strides in the right direction have already been made.
“It’s about getting performances on the field and rugby systems in place to create long-term success,” adds Hart. “That’s not going to happen overnight.”
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“We’ve got to do a better job of being cohesive. If we want our coaches and players to come from the region we’ve got to grow our talent coming through North Harbour, Northland and Auckland into the Blues.
“That doesn’t mean they have to learn their craft here. Alama Ieremia is a good example of that. He’s led a step change in what Auckland has done, on and off the field. The Blues will benefit from that immensely.
“There has been endemic failure in Auckland and the Blues for a while. I’m a life member of the Auckland union and I’m proud of what they’ve done this year. It’s a great step forward, and we’d be silly not to learn from those things.”
The Blues kick off their season against the Crusaders in February.
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Comments on RugbyPass
We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
57 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
57 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
57 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
57 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
57 Go to comments