Last minute co-coaching set-up looks like a real possibility for the Hurricanes
The Hurricanes will have a new head coach next season.
John Plumtree is expected to step back from his role as head coach to join Ian Foster’s All Blacks management team, leaving the Hurricanes scrambling to piece together alternate plans for next year’s Super Rugby season which starts in six weeks.
The Herald understands Hurricanes assistant Jason Holland is the favourite to become the Hurricanes’ third head coach in as many years, though it could yet be in a co-coaching capacity with newly-appointed forwards mentor Chris Gibbes.
Negotiations between the Hurricanes and New Zealand Rugby, who pay the salaries of the head coach and one assistant, are on-going but an announcement is expected by Thursday or Friday this week.
Since assuming the head coaching mantle from Chris Boyd, Plumtree has completed one season in which he guided the Hurricanes to second in the New Zealand conference and fourth overall.
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The Hurricanes lost a knife-edge semifinal 30-26 to the Crusaders, eventual champions, in Christchurch.
Asking Plumtree to juggle both the Hurricanes and All Blacks, where he is expected to take charge of the forwards, would prove too distracting to either role.
Holland is highly-regarded within rugby circles. He emerged through New Plymouth Boys’ High School and played for Manawatu and Taranaki before moving to Ireland and notching a century of games for Munster and then shifting into coaching at the famed club.
Since returning home Holland has progressed from Canterbury assistant to the Hurricanes where he assumed greater responsibility for the backs and team attack after Boyd’s departure to Northampton last year.
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Scott Robertson also included Holland in his All Blacks coaching pitch.
Gibbes, likewise, is highly rated and experienced. He’s worked with Japan, Georgia, the New Zealand under-20s, Welsh side Ospreys and Waikato.
In the past three years, Gibbes guided Wellington back to the ITM Cup Premiership where they then lost the semifinal and final in the last two seasons – a significant improvement on campaigns prior to his arrival.
Gibbes had already been added to the Hurricanes coaching team for the next two seasons, replacing Richard Watt, but Plumtree’s expected departure will increase his influence, particularly on the forward pack.
So much for the post-World Cup speculation that Michael Cheika at Montpellier was a done deal https://t.co/nYghGUmKBj
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Plumtree’s promotion may leave the Hurricanes with one further coach to add to their team which also includes assistant Carlos Spencer and scrum coach Dan Cron.
While Holland has been at the franchise since 2015 these major changes so close to the season, coupled with the loss of All Blacks flanker Ardie Savea to injury and Beauden Barrett’s move to the Blues, creates unsettling times.
Former Hurricanes second five-eighth Jason O’Halloran has announced this will be his last campaign at Glasgow alongside Dave Rennie but that timeframe doesn’t fit the 2020 Super Rugby season.
It would not surprise if O’Halloran is lured to the Hurricanes coaching team for the 2021 season.
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and is republished with permission.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Good luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 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.
10 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.
37 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.
2 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
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 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
37 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.
37 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
37 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to comments