Let’s Go Local with Male
New Zealand Rugby had adopted a continuation process when it comes to selecting the All Blacks head coach.
The concept was first mooted by Sir Graham Henry after the All Blacks bundled out in the quarterfinals of the 2007 Rugby World Cup. To keep his job as head coach, Henry was able to convince the NZR board on why they should retain him and the assistant coaches.
This proved successful when the All Blacks won the 2011 RWC and with Henry stepping down soon after that, his assistant coach Steve Hansen took over from him. The All Blacks retained the RWC title in 2015 but lost it at the 2019 tournament in Japan where Hansen resigned after their 19-7 loss to England in the semifinal.
With a line of strong contenders including Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson for the position, NZR board opted to continue on with the process by allowing assistant coach Ian Foster to step-up to head coach.
Former NZR chairman Brent Impey said it was ‘continuity, with a dose of refreshment’.
This, he describes, is a long era of stability from Henry to Hansen and now Foster. It’s an approach to keep the legacy but to refresh at the same time as they are to be in a dynamic situation.
Process
Even with the All Blacks recent drop in form, NZR is still keeping Foster although the assistant coaches have been replaced. This proves how NZR values the process they had put in place since it has proved successful.
A similar approach should be adopted by the Fiji Rugby Union when it comes to appointing the Fijiana Women’s XVs and Fijiana Drua head coach.
Although the position has been advertised in this newspaper, the decision makers at Rugby House should not look far when it comes to selecting the man to replace Senirusi Seruvakula.
He is former Flying Fijian No.8 and head coach, Inoke Male.
The 59-year-old, is not new to Fijiana XVs set-up. Male had been the assistant coach since 2019 as he worked with then head coach, Ro Alifereti Doviverata, where they guided the Fijiana XVs side to qualify for the RWC for the first time.
He, again was Seruvakula’s assistant coach when the Drua won the 2022 Super W competition in their debut year and then to the Women’s RWC in Auckland, New Zealand.
Record
The 15-Test veteran has a proven coaching record.
In provincial rugby, he coached Tailevu to win the prestigious Farebrother-Sullivan Trophy for the first time in 2003 before he guided Vatukoula to the major union. He also coached the Fijian Warriors and Fijian Under-20 teams before he became the Flying Fijians assistant coach to the 2011 RWC.
The Raralevu, Tailevu, native became the Flying Fijians head coach in 2012. The highlights of his coaching career was when he guided the Flying Fijians to win the IRB Pacific Nations Cup in 2013 and before that a 33-14 win over the Classic All Blacks at the National Stadium in Suva.
As a mark of a great coach, Male has an eye on identifying talented players, nurture them before guiding them to greater heights. He spotted Semi Radradra, during a sevens rugby tournament in Vanua Levu and brought him over to play for Vatukoula (where he was coaching at that time). Radradra, made the Fijian U20 and national sevens team and the rest is now history.
Male, also helped resurrect the career of a young Nemani Nadolo, who was playing in Japan after being rejected by Super Rugby clubs in Australia.
He gave Nadolo a break with the Flying Fijians and he took the opportunity with both hands to make his mark in Super Rugby, Europe and internationally.
The same could be said of how Male assisted Rupeni Caucaunibuca in getting his career back on track in 2004 after his missing episodes with his French club.
Appointment
We’ve got to be realistic, getting an overseas head coach could slow the momentum that was set from last year. This is because a foreign coach will need to time to settle down, adapt to the environment before getting to know the players.
This would not be the case for Male. His appointment ensures the Fijiana players are in a stable environment, be able to enhance their skills, play consistently and produce the desired the results.
Why look elsewhere, when we have a proven coach like Male here with us.
He should be our man for the job.