Joseph’s legacy a strong one

In the end, Jamie Joseph figured it out. The upshot of which is he leaves behind him a Highlanders franchise in a heck of a better state than it was in when he found it.

When all is said and done, that has to be all a coach can really ask of himself. Did I make this team better under my watch? After a mid-term misstep, the Japanbound Highlanders head coach can certainly answer that question in the affirmative.

Joseph has just concluded his sixth and final year in charge of the Highlanders and will head to Japan after a month or so to wrap up the season content in the knowledge that he hands interim successor Tony Brown a strong and settled product.

The Highlanders have morphed into one of New Zealand’s best franchises, and Joseph has to feel good about that, even if he’s not the type to indulge in too much in the way of self-imposed backslapping.

He had one losing season in his six in charge − the horror 3-13 campaign of 2013 when he got the recruitment formula badly wrong − and made the finals his last three campaigns, a beaten quarterfinalist in 2014, memorable champions last year, and, just last weekend, a beaten semifinalist in Johannesburg under testing circumstances.

He has also headed a Highlanders programme that has not just established a successful culture and playing style, but developed a reputation as a place where careers can be revived. Their All Black quota has grown to seven, and their ability to promote their players’ prospects has not gone unnoticed around the country.

‘‘One of your main jobs as a footy coach is bringing players through,’’ Joseph reflects.

‘‘A lot of guys don’t reach their potential, but within a good team players tend to prosper quicker and grow a lot more.

‘‘I think we’ve been successful there, and have unearthed a couple of guys who might not have been All Blacks in different teams.

‘‘Winning last year was a highlight of all of that.

‘‘But the franchise had to scramble when I first came here. There was nothing. As a professional rugby team we were training wherever the council put us, we didn’t have a changing-room ... but that’s just our lot and we’ve got on with it.’’

Joseph’s decision to bring Brown on board as an assistant certainly played a key part in the southern revival, though he hopes he’s repaid that by establishing such a well balanced team for his No 2 to take over.

‘‘There’s certainly a pride back in the south, kids are wearing Highlanders jerseys again, and that’s reflective of how it was when I was playing footy down here in the ‘90s.

‘‘I’ve got 28 players contracted [for 2017], and we had eight contracted in 2011 when I started. Players are voting with their feet and saying they like it down here.

‘‘They see how much fun the team has. Off the field the guys have a bit of a laugh, and on the field we play an attractive brand of footy.

‘‘We’re a well-balanced team, and if you’re a young fella you can be sure you’re going to be developed the right way.’’

Joseph wasn’t looking to make too many excuses about his team’s semifinal defeat to the Lions, though conceded he was left to rue the circumstances that served up a draining final month on the road between Port Elizabeth, Buenos Aires, Dunedin, Canberra and Jo’burg.

‘‘You lose a game against the Reds because you don’t turn up mentally, and that comes back to bite you.

‘‘We could have qualified top but the Hurricanes go out and play a bloody good game against the Crusaders and that means you’ve got to travel.

‘‘It’s a hard competition, but it’s even harder to win away from home.’’