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Last minute co-coaching set-up looks like a real possibility for the Hurricanes
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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.
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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.
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.
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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
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 17, 2019
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
I know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
2 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
2 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue 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.
24 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.
11 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!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 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
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 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.
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