Highladers coaching gig
-
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="573213" data-time="1460949949">
<div>
<p><strong>Despite the problems that eventually occurred, I thought the Blues made a decent coup with Nucifora. The guy had just led a team to three straight grand final appearances and won it in 2004. </strong>The Blues didn't throw him in the hot seat straight away and had him do the Henry role to get accustomed to how things worked, NZ rugby etc. When he took over the top job the Blues were in rebuild mode, they had been on the side since the heights of 03. That 2007 year was a very good one for the Blues I thought and Nucifora did some positives things with that side, not the least play Toeava in his best position of 2nd 5.... </p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Just because you've blocked it out of your mind, doesn't mean the Blues beating the Crusaders in the 2003 Super Rugby final didn't happen :hi:</p> -
<p>As a Canes fan this would be detrimental to us moving forward if the rumors are true. Plumtree has improved our defense big time since returning and that hard nosed style of coaching is perfect for some of our big headed players. I really hope he doesn't leave because there is a crop of talent coming through that would thrive off his coaching.</p>
-
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiMurph" data-cid="573215" data-time="1460950519">
<div>
<p>Just because you've blocked it out of your mind, doesn't mean the Blues beating the Crusaders in the 2003 Super Rugby final didn't happen :hi:</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Yeah, playoffs != grand final</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="573213" data-time="1460949949">
<div>
<p>Despite the problems that eventually occurred, I thought the Blues made a decent coup with Nucifora. The guy had just led a team to three straight grand final appearances and won it in 2004. The Blues didn't throw him in the hot seat straight away and had him do the Henry role to get accustomed to how things worked, NZ rugby etc. When he took over the top job the Blues were in rebuild mode, they had been on the side since the heights of 03. That 2007 year was a very good one for the Blues I thought and Nucifora did some positives things with that side, not the least play Toeava in his best position of 2nd 5.... </p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>On principal I'm 100% opposed to importing coaches, regardless of their merits. Look how many of our coaches are running foreign teams - we produce plenty of very talented coaches and we have no need to scout offshore. Plumtree would be a good choice - he is experienced. He also did a great job as Irish forwards coach. Leave Brown running the backs.</p> -
<p>Plumtree doesn't want the gig. It has been officially announced today that he's staying at the Hurricanes until 2018!</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.hurricanes.co.nz/the-canes/news/single/item/assistant-coach-john-plumtree-commits-to-hurricanes/'>http://www.hurricanes.co.nz/the-canes/news/single/item/assistant-coach-john-plumtree-commits-to-hurricanes/</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="broughie" data-cid="573206" data-time="1460948471">
<div>
<p>How much of an impact is Tony Brown having down in Otago? Is he running the backline?</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>He's had a huge impact but he signed on to stay as assistant coach.</p> -
<p>Take Craig Philpott please</p>
-
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="573213" data-time="1460949949">
<div>
<p>Despite the problems that eventually occurred, I thought the Blues made a decent coup with Nucifora. The guy had just led a team to three straight grand final appearances and won it in 2004. The Blues didn't throw him in the hot seat straight away and had him do the Henry role to get accustomed to how things worked, NZ rugby etc. When he took over the top job the Blues were in rebuild mode, they had been on the side since the heights of 03. That 2007 year was a very good one for the Blues I thought and Nucifora did some positives things with that side, not the least play Toeava in his best position of 2nd 5.... </p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>It was a great coup except for when he almost immediately started alienating our international players, which is fine except he had just left the Brumbies after doing exactly the same thing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fool me once...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Still better than Lam and Kirwan.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="rotated" data-cid="573716" data-time="1461161804">
<div>
<p>It was a great coup except for when he almost immediately started alienating our international players, which is fine except he had just left the Brumbies after doing exactly the same thing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fool me once...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Still better than Lam and Kirwan.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lam has done a very good job at Connacht, he's taken a team of earnest triers and turned them into a side with a genuine chance of the title playing good rugby - they pumped Munster just last week and whilst Munster aren't the force they were, they are still a decent side.</p> -
How go you define decent? Munster are very very average at the moment, I'd rate the better ITM cup teams to take them down. They kicked out Penney, circled the wagons, chose the old boys to coach, relied on "Pashun"...and have gone majorly backwards. <br><br>
Doesn't take away from Lam's achievements of course. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Lise" data-cid="573643" data-time="1461132217"><p>
He's had a huge impact but he signed on to stay as assistant coach.</p></blockquote><br>
I heard Brown was not interested in the top job at the Highlanders....didn't say if just now or ever. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Billy Tell" data-cid="573722" data-time="1461177974">
<div>
<p>How go you define decent? Munster are very very average at the moment, I'd rate the better ITM cup teams to take them down. They kicked out Penney, circled the wagons, chose the old boys to coach, relied on "Pashun"...and have gone majorly backwards.<br><br>
Doesn't take away from Lam's achievements of course.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I made three points and as an aside I tried to not insult Munster, but yeah they are pish compared to what they were</p> -
<p>I don't know how fair it is to judge Lam and Kirwan based solely on their stints with the Blues. In fact it could be argued that JK at least managed somehow to get the organisation to take a closer look at themselves and put the off field stuff in place rather than the arrogance of expecting to win through on field talent and coaching alone. </p>
<p>JJ wasn't great shakes with the Landers when he first took over either but he stuck in there and the off field changes were made which combined with his coaching lessons he was learning along the way. No one seems to remember his approach of having his forwards go hard out at the beginning of the season then watching the team drop off the pace as things progressed.</p>
<p>Fact is that many coaches find it takes a while to get all the pieces in place. The management, the right combination of players, the right style for those players. I would guess that guys like Lam learned a huge amount with the pain they went through in their 'failures' and are much better for it now simply because they can identify the bad parts more easily and make sure they are sorted.</p> -
<p>It would appear Lam has certainly learned a lot from his experience at the Blues, and being out of the Auckland spotlight has probably helped too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Time will tell if JK has learnt, and looking at results since, you'd question if Hammett has learnt much form his time.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="573764" data-time="1461195912">
<div>
<p>Interesting theory, Crucial</p>
<p> </p>
<p>How would you apply it to Mark Hammett? :)</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Hammer learnt that if you kick all of your best players out of the team, you will struggle. He is at home with the Sunwolves though as there are no "best players" to kick out. Last I heard the culture there was fucking amazing.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="573764" data-time="1461195912">
<div>
<p>Interesting theory, Crucial</p>
<p> </p>
<p>How would you apply it to Mark Hammett? :)</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>Well you'd assume he learnt something from the Canes experience. Bit hard to judge from the Sunwolves though, I'd suggest the Crusaders sign him and we'll see how long he keeps Read around and then we'll have a better gauge of what he's learnt.</p>
