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Another mix-up for the Wallabies coaching ranks

Stephen Larkham, Michael Cheika and Nathan Grey

Nathan Grey will follow Stephen Larkham from Wallabies assistant into the national high performance advisor role as new Australian coach Dave Rennie puts his stamp on the job.

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Grey was the Wallabies defence coach under Michael Cheika at this year’s World Cup in Japan but, with Cheika replaced by Kiwi Rennie, will move into a new role in 2020.

Larkham, a former Wallabies attack coach, briefly held the job this year before moving on to work with Irish giant Munster.

Grey’s duties will be expanded, however, with the 44-year-old also serving as technical director of the Sunwolves for next year’s Super Rugby season.

The appointment opens the door for former Waratahs team manager and Sunwolves adviser Chris Webb to return to Australia as the Wallabies team manager.

Continue reading below…

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Wallabies World Cup attack coach Shaun Berne has already returned to his full-time role with Melbourne Rebels, with England’s attack coach Scott Wisemantel to join Rennie’s staff.

According to Rugby Australia, the Grey move is designed to strengthen their relationship with the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU).

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“Grey’s secondment will focus on providing technical advice and coaching to the Tokyo-based Super Rugby side in support of new Sunwolves head coach Naoya Okubo,” RA said in a statement on Monday.

Grey will also oversee the Sevens teams, who will play in the Tokyo Olympics next year, the Wallaroos, Junior Wallabies, and elite junior programs.

“I’ve enjoyed my time as an assistant at both the NSW Waratahs and the Wallabies for the last four years but this is now an opportunity for me to continue my development as a coach,” Grey said.

“The Sunwolves have an incredibly talented group of players that are keen to learn, and the same can be said of the coaching staff in Tokyo too.

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“We all saw from the recent World Cup just how much ability and potential there is in Japan, and I will be doing all I can to help in their development.”

RA director of rugby Scott Johnson said the new role was a way to keep Grey in the system, which has identified a dearth of young Australian coaches.

“Nathan has proven himself to be a great young coach and he’s one that we didn’t want to lose out of the system,” Johnson said.

“We want to see him continue to grow and evolve and that will happen now with Nathan to be given a bit more responsibility and scope.”

– AAP

Former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen will take up a new role in the new year:

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J
JW 19 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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