Dermody to Tasman
Tasman has lured Highlanders scrum coach Clarke Dermody to the top of the South Island for this year’s Mitre 10 Cup campaign.
Dermody, who assisted Southland the past four years, has signed a one-year deal with last year’s beaten finalists and replaces former All Black Greg Somerville.
Tasman chief executive Tony Lewis said Somerville’s decision not to return, and permanently move to Blenheim, came down to him wanting to concentrate on his family.
‘‘That’s sort of left us in a wee hole . . . but we’ll have him back in the fold sooner or later.
‘‘What we needed to do was get an experienced set piece coach. Clarke was available and [head coach] Leon [MacDonald] spent a lot of time talking to him.
[The Highlanders] are comfortable with him being involved, we think it’s going to be good for us, it gives us an edge in that space and we’re very excited about him coming.’’
Dermody, who played 89 games for Southland and earned 44 caps for the Highlanders, told Stuff last week he was looking at other provincial options, after Dave Hewett’s appointment as Southland head coach last December meant he wouldn’t be required in Invercargill.
The 37-year-old will link up with Tasman after the Highlanders’ Super Rugby season ends. Tasman, who still need to confirm one assistant coach, open the 2018 season against three-time defending champions Canterbury in Blenheim on August 17, two weeks after the Super Rugby final.
It’s a rematch of the 2016 and 2017 premiership finals, both won by Canterbury, whose dynasty (nine titles in the past 10 years) has pulled them to within two titles of Auckland’s all-time record (16).
Tasman’s second match is also at home, and will see Dermody go up against his former side in Blenheim on August 26.