Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Blues confirm new assistant coach

The Blues has confirmed today that current North Harbour coach Tom Coventry is to join the Super Rugby club next season as an assistant coach.

Coventry will join the coaching group alongside Tana Umaga and Tasman coach Leon Macdonald, who were named in May.

The former Waikato player and Chiefs assistant coach is vastly experienced and successful, with two Super Rugby titles at the Chiefs. He also guided North Harbour to the semi-final of the Mitre-10 Cup last season.

In his two years at North Harbour he has had a close involvement at the Blues, guiding the Development team.

Chief Executive Michael Redman said the club was impressed with his credentials.

“We received some outstanding applications for the position but Tom stood out with his clarity and details around the Forwards’ role. His credentials as a coach are impressive and his success to date speaks for itself,” he said.

“He comes with significant support from our players who have played under him, and from our own staff who have worked with him both at North Harbour and with our Development side.

“We believe we have an excellent team of coaching staff in place as we look to make a significant improvement in our performances next season.”

Head Coach Tana Umaga said he is looking positively at 2019 prospects.

“I look forward to Tom joining the group with Leon and myself.  His experience of both New Zealand and international rugby will be of great value to our players and the coaching team.”

Coventry said he is excited at the opportunity as well as the challenge ahead.

“I am excited to be back coaching in Super Rugby again and this is an exciting challenge,” he said. “In my time in the region I have had a good chance to evaluate and be impressed by the talent here. Clearly there are unique challenges and responsibilities in this region but I believe the club has the foundations in place as well as a first-class training facility.

“I am confident with a lot of hard work that we can turn around the fortunes at the Blues and I look forward to being part of that.”

Video Spacer

Coventry will complete his duties with North Harbour in the upcoming Mitre-10 Cup competition before taking up his position.

Waikato-born and raised, Coventry played 52 games for the province and won the NPC in 1992 before moving into coaching. He had successful roles with New Zealand Schools, as co-coach of Hawke’s Bay including winning the ITM Cup Championship before four years at the Chiefs under Dave Rennie, where they won two Super Rugby titles. Coventry moved to UK to coach London Irish before returning home and taking up his current role at North Harbour where they reached the premiership semifinal.

Current forwards coach Steve Jackson did not seek re-appointment.

Mr Redman said the club will confirm their support staff roles in the coming months.

In other news:

Video Spacer

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

N
Nickers 37 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

41 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline? Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?
Search