Ulster Rugby 2013/2014

[rooster]

Wouldn't be half suprised if Kiss took charge for the year went to the World Cup, came back and stayed with Ulster full time.

BBC has front runners as Graeme Henry and Jake White ....

Wouldn't be suprised either if Muller came back in some capacity, probably as a forwards coach

Will take a big change to bring Muller back as his father is retiring from farming and he is taking over, he stayed a year longer than expected already.

[simonokeeffe]

arent we contractually obliged to link Nick Mallett to it?
Franco Smith is leaving Treviso isnt he?

[ceemec]

I can't see a few successful years overseas in Europe damaging anyone Super rugby coaches long term future, I think the Gatland not getting a super rugby job thing maybe down to a personality clash more than his talent or record as a coach

I don't think it damages them, as such, but once they leave, they go back to the bottom of the pile and need to start again if they go back to NZ. They don't rate achievements up here nearly as much as we'd like to think. John Mitchell is probably someone that flies in the face of that having been assistant to Clive Woodward. He went home and was coaching in the NPC for only a year before getting a Super Rugby job and only a year there before the NZ job (and only a year there before being sacked!)

To underline this, I think that John Kirwan is the only Super Rugby coach in NZ that has ever been appointed while based outside of NZ in almost 20 years.

[JB1973]

I can't see a few successful years overseas in Europe damaging anyone Super rugby coaches long term future, I think the Gatland not getting a super rugby job thing maybe down to a personality clash more than his talent or record as a coach

I don't think it damages them, as such, but once they leave, they go back to the bottom of the pile and need to start again if they go back to NZ. They don't rate achievements up here nearly as much as we'd like to think. John Mitchell is probably someone that flies in the face of that having been assistant to Clive Woodward. He went home and was coaching in the NPC for only a year before getting a Super Rugby job and only a year there before the NZ job (and only a year there before being sacked!)

To underline this, I think that John Kirwan is the only Super Rugby coach in NZ that has ever been appointed while based outside of NZ in almost 20 years.

fair point, they probably have a host of people ready and able to take on the big coaches jobs over there. Must be some serious competition for NZ super rugby side.

Nice problem to have

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Always thought Gatland was looked down on over there because of his style of play, or dido just make that up?

[offshorerules]

I would be interested to hear how Joe Schmidt is regarded over there. Hard to think it would not be at least positive.

[ceemec]

From the few I've spoken with he is well regarded and known but, to be honest, before the Irish job his profile wasn't that high. Assistant coach at Clermont and head coach at Leinster wouldn't have made huge ripples over there even with the HEC success. They'd be aware of him but they really are quite dismissive of a lot of success at that level.

You have to keep in mind, they've coaches coming out their ears. All the NZ Super Rugby sides, the Welsh, Scottish and Irish head coaches, three of the Irish provinces (up until a month ago) and Cardiff Blues for those currently employed in head coach jobs. Then you've guys like Robbie Deans, John Mitchell, John Plumtree etc. for guys who have high profiles and have coached at the top who are floating around too.

I would say that if Schmidt was to return to NZ, he wouldn't be offered anything more than a S15 job and only if it was the right time in terms of the right job being available for him.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I'm half annoyed that they wouldn't particularly rate Schmidt and half delighted that it bodes well for us hanging on to him.

[offshorerules]

I'm half annoyed that they wouldn't particularly rate Schmidt and half delighted that it bodes well for us hanging on to him.

There's always that.

Didn't he coach in New Zealand as well though before Clermont? I thought he had some involvement with the AB schoolboys.

[ceemec]

Yup. Coached the NZ schools side, Bay of Plenty in the NPC and was on staff for the Blues before moving to France.

[offshorerules]

I seem to remember reading something about him being very well regarded by some of the players he coached at school level, so I wouldn't be surprised if he get's a big job there when he returns home. Thankfully and hopefully that will not be for some time yet.

[Ruckedtobits]

In Dec 2011 / Jan 2012, it was written up in NZ media that VC and Joe were interviewed by video conference call as one of the possible Coaching teams for the AB's. That's about the highest profile you can get and although a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, for both of them, it was always reckoned that Henry (and Hansen) taking the Welsh job was considered a vital part of their CVs for doing the Blacks. There's no substitute for having coached at international level, where the job is about managing a Squad, not coaching individuals

[rooster]

Wayne Smith seems to be in the mix this time

[ceemec]

In Dec 2011 / Jan 2012, it was written up in NZ media that VC and Joe were interviewed by video conference call as one of the possible Coaching teams for the AB's. That's about the highest profile you can get and although a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, for both of them, it was always reckoned that Henry (and Hansen) taking the Welsh job was considered a vital part of their CVs for doing the Blacks. There's no substitute for having coached at international level, where the job is about managing a Squad, not coaching individuals

There's a bit more to it than that. JS and VC were invited to apply for the NZ job following Henry's departure. VC did, JS didn't. It was reported that approximately 20 people were invited to apply for the position which would essentially cover any successful NZ coach in the world.

Hansen was apparently a locked down choice for the job and it would have been a big shock if any other candidate got the job. I wouldn't say his time with Wales had too much influence on the appointment, to be honest. His tenure was largely a complete disaster with Wales; they went on the longest losing streak in their history under him. His 7 years as assistant to Henry would have been by far the most influential factor in his appointment, I'd have thought.

Henry was more of a mixed bag and he had been considered successful with Wales (although finished badly and was savaged after the Lions tour) but he also had unprecedented domestic success with Auckland and the Blues.

[ceemec]

Wayne Smith seems to be in the mix this time

Smith helps to look after his elderly parents back home. He turned down the England job because of it so unless his position has changed in the last 18 months, I can't see him moving.

[rooster]

Wayne Smith seems to be in the mix this time

Smith helps to look after his elderly parents back home. He turned down the England job because of it so unless his position has changed in the last 18 months, I can't see him moving.

Who knows, perhaps his parents fancy a few years here as well ?

[ceemec]

Who knows, perhaps his parents fancy a few years here as well ?

I suppose anything is possible but below are his comments from a couple of months ago:

"I'm not going to apply for the 'Canes job," Smith told the Fairfax Media yesterday. "I'm more likely to do the opposite and have a break. I'm only signed here until the end of this year. I'm not sure what's going to happen.

"At some point soon I'll probably be having a bit of a break for maybe a year and then re-assess where I go to from there.

"I've had a number of years in this game and at some point I'm pretty keen to take a bit of time off with my wife and travel around the country a wee bit. I don't know when that will be.

"I'll sit down with [head coach] Dave [Rennie] and the club and make some decisions later in the year."

Given his extensive intellectual property, Smith has agreed to remain in New Zealand until after next year's World Cup.

"I'm committed to stay in the country until the end of 2015 - there's no thoughts of going anywhere else we'll just see how it goes," he said.

"The commitment to New Zealand is as much a moral one as anything. They were pretty keen for me to stay in the country and I'm happy to. I've stayed largely because of my family and that loyalty to the All Blacks."

[simonokeeffe]

Who knows, perhaps his parents fancy a few years here as well ?

I suppose anything is possible but below are his comments from a couple of months ago:

"I'm not going to apply for the 'Canes job," Smith told the Fairfax Media yesterday. "I'm more likely to do the opposite and have a break. I'm only signed here until the end of this year. I'm not sure what's going to happen.

"At some point soon I'll probably be having a bit of a break for maybe a year and then re-assess where I go to from there.

"I've had a number of years in this game and at some point I'm pretty keen to take a bit of time off with my wife and travel around the country a wee bit. I don't know when that will be.

"I'll sit down with [head coach] Dave [Rennie] and the club and make some decisions later in the year."

Given his extensive intellectual property, Smith has agreed to remain in New Zealand until after next year's World Cup.

"I'm committed to stay in the country until the end of 2015 - there's no thoughts of going anywhere else we'll just see how it goes," he said.

"The commitment to New Zealand is as much a moral one as anything. They were pretty keen for me to stay in the country and I'm happy to. I've stayed largely because of my family and that loyalty to the All Blacks."

its the same reason Deccie stayed in Ireland, the oul corporate knowledge