Mauger appears favoured
Announcement likely next month
THE new Highlanders head coach should be named next month but the drums appear to be beating for Aaron Mauger.
Tony Brown ended his stint as head coach with the side’s 170 loss to the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday night.
With Scott McLeod taking himself out of the reckoning after joining the All Blacks as the national side’s defensive coach, the choice appears to be between two men — Highlanders forwards coach Mark Hammett and new attack coach Aaron Mauger.
Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark said the new coach was expected to be appointed some time next month.
There was a process to work through and, hopefully, the new coach would be announced in a couple of weeks.
Mauger spent time with the Highlanders last week in the buildup to the quarterfinal although only as an observer.
Hammett has been the forwards coach this year — taking over from Jamie Joseph — and the forwards have been responsible for some fine efforts, none better than the display against the British and Irish Lions.
Hammett has been a head coach at two Super Rugby franchises already so has the experience.
He was the head coach of the Hurricanes from 2011 to 2014 and then coached the Sunwolves in 2016.
Hammett also coached at the Cardiff Blues after he left the Hurricanes although he only lasted six months there, leaving because of family reasons.
Mauger was a backs coach at the Crusaders for two years before moving to Leicester in 2014. He then took over as head coach at Leicester last season but was dumped from that role in March.
He signed on as the new attack coach for the Highlanders in May this year, taking over that role from Brown.
He spent June as the assistant coach for the Samoan national team.
Both men have links with Canterbury and the Crusaders. Hammett has declined to specifically answer questions about taking on the new role while the intentions of Mauger are unclear.
Neither man would appear to be the obvious replacement for Brown but Mauger is thought to be favoured to take over the head coaching role.
Hammett may prefer to just continue as the forwards coach.
Many do not wish to be head coach as it involves more time in negotiations and dealing with offfield matters rather than getting out on the paddock and coaching players.
Clark said once the head coach was named, the search for a new defensive coach would begin.
It was important the new head coach had input into the selection of the defensive coach, he said.
Clark said there was something of a flat feeling among the team after the quarterfinal loss. The side had high hopes for the season and it was disappointing to finish with a game like the loss to the Crusaders.
The next few days would bring reflection for the players and side and the review of the season would start.
Clark said most of the side had already signed for next year and there were just a couple of places in the squad to be finalised.
Those leaving include centre Malakai Fekitoa, who is heading to France, and utility back Marty Banks, who is going to Treviso in Italy. Lock Joe Wheeler and winger Patrick Osborne are thought to be heading to Japanese club rugby.
Tongan prop Siosiua Halanukonuka has signed with the Glasgow Warriors and will join Chiefs coach Dave Rennie at the Scottish club.
Doubts surround the future of lock Tom Franklin and loose forward Gareth Evans.