Northern Edition

Select Edition

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

Jamie Joseph's New Zealand return 'puts everyone on notice'

Jamie Joseph. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

The Highlanders have made a huge statement in their off-season rebuild with the signing of Jamie Joseph to a newly created Head of Rugby role in 2024.

ADVERTISEMENT

It’s a position tailor-made to amplify Joseph’s quality and impact throughout the club, allowing the former Super Rugby champion to mentor coach Clarke Dermody, provide support for the coaching team as a whole and apply his “ruthless” player recruitment chops to the New Zealand scene in addition to managing player retention.

The Highlanders had already made a strong start to their rebuild, locking in several New Zealand U20 standouts as well as recruiting the likes of Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Rhys Patchell and Mitchell Dunshea.

Video Spacer
Video Spacer

But there’s plenty of work still to be done after missing the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs this season and losing 16 players for the 2024 season. Those departing players include Aaron Smith, Shannon Frizell, Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, Mitch Hunt and Josh Dickson; huge losses for the club.

But Joseph’s return after seven years in Japan – where he led the Brave Blossoms to their first-ever quarter-final at the 2019 Rugby World Cup – is a giant step in the right direction.

“Great news for the Highlanders,” Jeff Wilson told The Breakdown. “And I would say that it literally puts everyone on notice if you’re at the Highlanders. The fact that we know who Jamie is and what he’s done for the franchise, where he’s coming from and he wants to give back but he also wants to be a part of a successful franchise.

“So, he’s going to cast his eye over things. I think he’ll have a break after the World Cup because he’s been with Japan for a long time now but I’d say early next year he’ll come back into the fold.

ADVERTISEMENT

“The good thing about Jamie is he won’t rush to making decisions, he’ll come in and run his eye over things and then say ‘you know what? Here are some adjustments we can make’ to help the Highlanders compete.”

It’s shaping up to be a youthful Highlanders outfit with an eye on the future, with multiple young stars like Ethan de Groot and Folau Fakatava already donning the All Blacks jersey.

Related

The addition of Joseph also adds veteran quality to the coaching landscape in New Zealand after it was decimated by the naming of 2024’s All Blacks coaching group, which included three of the five Super Rugby club’s head coaches.

Filling the void has been some world-class coaching talent with former Scotland and Fiji head coach Vern Cotter taking the helm at the Blues while former All Black sevens coach Clark Laidlaw assumes the reins at the Hurricanes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Joseph’s return though is the most promising in the eyes of former All Black Sir John Kirwin, who foresees All Blacks coaching potential for the 53-year-old.

“I think it’s great for New Zealand rugby as well because I think Jamie has the potential to be an All Blacks coach and the next All Blacks coach,” Kirwin stated. “I think he’s ambitious and I think he’s always been ambitious.”

Kirwin added how the appointment of Scott Robertson as next All Blacks coach – bucking the trend of promoting former assistants from within the All Blacks environment – has set a positive precedent for ambitious coaches like Joseph.

“The decision to actually pick a coach from home this time from Super Rugby is really good. (Jamie) has had his experience, he’s coming home and I think it’s great. I think he’s a good, rugby man.”

Of course, Kirwin couldn’t let the matter rest without throwing a dig at former Highlander Jeff Wilson.

“I’m pleased for your Highlanders, because you need something, son.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Boks Office | Episode 37 | Six Nations Round 4 Review

Cape Town | Leg 2 | Day 2 | HSBC Challenger Series 2025 | Full Day Replay

Gloucester-Hartpury vs Bristol Bears | PWR 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 36 | Six Nations Round 3 Review

Why did Scotland's Finn Russell take the crucial kick from the wrong place? | Whistle Watch

England A vs Ireland A | Full Match Replay

Kubota Spears vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | JRLO 2024/2025 | Full Match Replay

Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

1 Comment
J
Jen 588 days ago

I like this news. I hope the Landers perk up next year and have a good one.

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

E
EllenMoody 4 hours ago
Great moments in Lions tour history – JPR’s drop goal and the All Blacks' brutal revenge

A Crypto Theft Victim's Journey: How Morphohack Cyber Service Restored My Assets

By: Ellen Moody, Crypto Investor and Advocate

I was left reeling after discovering that my digital wallet had been compromised, resulting in the loss of 39.5 Ethereum. This devastating experience left me desperate for a solution. I reached out to Morphohack Cyber Service. Their team responded with exceptional professionalism and expertise, promptly launching a comprehensive analysis of the blockchain network to track the stolen funds.

Their specialists employed cutting-edge blockchain analytics tools to follow the digital footprint, providing detailed explanations of their methods. It was evident that they possessed a profound understanding of hacker strategies and vulnerabilities. Despite encountering obstacles, they persevered, meticulously tracking the ETH as it navigated various wallets and tumblers.

Throughout the process, Morphohack Cyber Service maintained seamless communication, providing regular updates on the case. Ultimately, their efforts culminated in the successful recovery of 37 ETH, seized from the wallets holding my stolen assets.

I’m profoundly grateful for Morphohack Cyber Service expertise and genuine commitment to helping victims of crypto theft. Their specialized knowledge of blockchain forensics is unmatched. I highly recommend their services to anyone facing a similar situation. In the complex world of crypto, they are truly a trusted ally.

Need Help Recovering Stolen Crypto? Contact Morphohack Cyber Service:

Email: Morphohack@cyberservices.com

Info@morphohackcyber.com

Morphohackcyber.com

1 Go to comments
J
JWH 5 hours ago
'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Do you hear yourself? Do you have any concept of world view? Have you tried looking into why people call Ireland ‘arrogant’? Obviously not.


We started calling you arrogant when you called our captain a ‘shit Richie McCaw’. In New Zealand. On our turf. Don’t think that kind of behaviour really calls for respect, does it.


NZ don’t really talk ourselves up, if anything the rugby does it for us. No kiwi goes in the media and says: ‘We are gonna win the RWC’. However, I have found many instance of IRISH media saying that the Irish should win, without a doubt. THAT is disrespectful.


The All Blacks have played good rugby, even some of the best rugby ever, at many points in history, but I don’t think you could find a single instance of one of those players, or the NZ media, saying that they should whitewash their opponents. Ever.


Now, onto your analysis. Ireland DID choke the QF. They beat the champions, they were ranked first coming into it, a lot of players at the peaks of their powers. Its hard to say that they didn’t choke. Obviously, their preparation was just not as good as NZ, and thats all there really is to it.


If Ireland had repsected that ABs team and that QF more, maybe they would’ve prepared properly for it and won. But they didn’t.


Maybe if Ireland had won their QF last RWC, they wouldn’t have to be in the same pool as SA and Scotland. I mean, its called a draw for a reason. NZ got third last RWC, so of course they should get a reasonable pool, and they were ranked pretty highly too. If you want to talk about easy pools, look no further than Pool 3 with England, Australia, Fiji, and Georgia I think?


Now, obviously you don’t remember how that QF ended, so I’ll go ahead and rectify that. Ireland reclaimed the ball off kickoff and marched for 20ish phases into the opposition half. Savea then won a turnover, but the referee refused to give it, so play went on. Finally, at the NZ 22, after not giving up a single penatly in 25 phases of hard defense, Sam Whitelock, the most capped All Black of all time, wins the game with an incredible steal.


Now, NZ players having a go at Ireland. Do you cry when you get hit after making the first swing? We all know Sexton is a prick on the field, its just the truth. And Ioane never backs down from a clash, so he thought he should humble a player who has never won an international knockout game who thought he was all that. Don’t really see the issue, its poetic justice really.

83 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING USA make decision on Ilona Maher as they name player pool USA make decision on Ilona Maher as they name player pool
Search