1
Welsh captain reveals Hammett's iron-fist warning to Cardiff players 'I got rid of Andrew Hore and Ma'a Nonu'
Former Wales captain and hooker Matthew Rees has opened up about the ill-fated appointment of ex-Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett at the Cardiff Blues in his new book, Matthew Rees: Reasons2Smile.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hammett joined the Blues on a three-year deal in 2014 but lasted just six months before resigning.
Rees details his first interaction with the former All Black and Crusader shortly after his arrival, which started the relationship on the wrong foot. Hammett wanted to take an iron-fist approach to turn the Blues around, which caused strained relationships with senior players.
“The first time I met him was when I went to the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff with Richard Holland, the chief executive at Cardiff Blues, who had arranged a meeting with him and Warren Gatland. He proceeded to talk to us about his own ethos regarding the game, his plans for the Cardiff Blues and how he wanted us to play,” he wrote.
“After the initial pleasantries had been exchanged, Hammett asked me bluntly: ‘How close are you to Gethin Jenkins – are you mates?’
“I replied by saying I’d known Melon since junior rugby and we were good friends. What he said next, I couldn’t believe – he asked me if I felt that Melon needed to change as a character.
“I was stunned: a man who’d been on three Lions tours, played for his country for many years and captained them many times, and was so highly thought of by his peers, and I was being asked if he needed to change.”
After telling Hammett he didn’t need to change, he allegedly replied with: “Bear in mind, I got rid of Andrew Hore and Ma’a Nonu at the Hurricanes,” firing a warning shot to Rees that he will do whatever he thinks necessary.
“The message I took from that was that it was going to be his way and no compromises, no matter what your status in the game,” Rees wrote.
“Hammett should have been interacting with influential senior players, explaining what he wanted and building up a leadership group to aid him, not alienating them.”
Hammett faced a player-led revolt shortly into his tenure, and Rees and Jenkins meet with him to talk through the team’s issues.
“Melon and I did have a meeting with Hammett, but when we advised him that the players were not happy, his initial response was that if players were not happy, they could leave.
“I remember asking him: ‘What, every one of the players can leave?’.”
Hammett’s plans for a Blues revival included strenuous workloads on the players, that were unproven for the length of the Northern Hemisphere season which lead to the problems.
He admitted to Stuff.co.nz in response to Rees claims that he “probably tried to move things too quickly” and that he took learnings from the experience.
“In hindsight, I think I probably tried to move things ahead too quickly, with regards to player workloads and gameplans/techniques, without understanding the nature of the northern hemisphere competition and the culture of the club.
“This was a big learning I took out of my time there and have taken those learnings into all my future coaching roles since.”
After leaving Cardiff, Hammett returned to New Zealand but then took up the head coaching role with the newly formed Sunwolves. After one season, Hammett returned again to New Zealand to take up assistant roles with Tasman and the Highlanders.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith you really make some good points in this article, the Springboks were not close to perfect and good still beat the All Blacks, imagine if they were as good as they were against France what a hiding the All Blacks would have gotten… maybe another Twickenham drubbing
219 Go to commentsIt is a good argument to keep the Rebels for one more year but also isnt this just opening the door as well for keeping them beyond 2025. If they can create some sort of financial stability in the next year and if their performances lift as they have this season then how would RA even cull them after that? It might be the most cost effective decision at this stage and perhaps many people are guilty of keeping relationships going because of the cost to decouple but then again when does that ever work out well?
16 Go to commentsDear Ben Smith you are a genius! God please become the next all blacks coach that can take on the mighty BOKS. Your rugby acumen is second to none - imagine your dads sperm bounced as unfortunately as that oval ball did….we would not be blessed with your presence. Just as the all blacks were missing a man you too are missing a chromosome for 80% of your life, so your insights are not only profound but ring true from your own experiences. Just as the TMO interfered with citing an illegal pass I am sure your local authorities interfere with your illegal passes you make on women - How dare they!!! God forbid that rugby be officiated fairly. You are the right man for the job. Next all blacks coach is here ladies and gentlemen Miss Ben Smith (He/She/They/IT)
219 Go to commentsHuge engine this guy and great to see him back ..The amount of clean outs he does at the ruck are ridiculous !!
3 Go to commentsThe level of desperation in this article is just embarrassing.
219 Go to commentsSome silly trolling in the comments.
9 Go to commentsEverywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
44 Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
16 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
44 Go to commentsLove watching
1 Go to commentsThe Melbourne Rebels lineout is a complete disaster so not surprisingly a kiwi coach of the Wallabies hires the worst lineout coach in the country and a foreigner to boot. No surprises whatsoever here…….
6 Go to commentsThank your for wasting 2 minutes of my life Daniel. There is a useful message in there somewhere but your delivery sucks.
7 Go to commentsBen Smith, you are cry baby
219 Go to commentsSux that homophobia is still a thing though. I wonder how many players who could have become legends never kept playing rugby because they felt unwelcome.
7 Go to commentsCrazy he’s only 28, feel like he’s been around forever - don’t mind the move, safe pair of hands and creates depth in a thin position for ABs. Hopefully aides Kemara’s growth also without thrusting too much responsibility on him
1 Go to commentsMen should show strength and be mean, but they should be able to show emotion to those close yo them in certain times, birth of your child, death of family, proud moment. This article is stupid
7 Go to commentsWhat a weak article…absolute drivel and clickbait, well done. Will stick to rugby365 thanks
7 Go to commentsHonest, discipline, humility… Priceless.
2 Go to commentsSo many excuses. No mention of the SA number 2 being taken out illegally in the 2nd minute. That act of foul play had a massive impact on the SA game. Face it, NZ play pretty dirty very regularly, and it’s only since 2016 they’ve been held to higher officiating standards via stricter officiating and TMO reviews. They deserved to have a man down. Sorry. Fix the yellow and red cards and NZ will win more RWCs. Plus, there WAS a knock on invalidating the one try, so it was NOT a try. Period. Here’s a Kleenex…
219 Go to commentsOverheard conversation between NZ and SA rugby fans everywhere: We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! We’re the greatest! No we’re the greatest! Ireland are arrogant! True but they beat you! We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! Etc. etc, etc.
44 Go to comments