Philpott keen to take the reins
Highlanders fans might find it difficult to stomach, but a third Cantabrian could join the franchise’s coaching ranks next season.
World Cup winning New Zealand under-20 coach Craig Philpott is eyeing up the head coaching job at the Highlanders, which will be vacated by Japanbound Tony Brown at the end of the season.
Philpott has worked as an assistant coach and played for Canterbury at the NPC level in the past and could find himself working alongside Mark Hammett and Aaron Mauger, who are already on the Highlanders’ books.
‘‘I’m interested in being a Super Rugby coach. So the short answer to that is yes,’’ Philpott said when asked if he was interested in coaching the Highlanders next year.
Capped with a 64-17 demolition job of England in the final, Philpott guided the New Zealand under-20 side to a world title in Georgia earlier this month.
The former Christchurch Boys’ High School assistant principal is entering his sixth season as Hawke’s Bay’s head coach in the Mitre 10 Cup, and applied for the top job at the Crusaders when the franchise advertised for Todd Blackadder’s replacement last year.
After missing out to Scott Robertson, Philpott opted against contesting the assistant forwards’ coaching job, which Jason Ryan went on to nab.
‘‘This is my sixth year as a head coach in the Mitre 10 Cup level, so I’m well versed what’s required there and I’m ready to step up [to Super Rugby],’’ Philpott said.
He called the chance to lead the New Zealand under-20 side to a world title a ‘‘great development opportunity’’ and believed it showed he could step up and lead a coaching programme at the next level.
‘‘I’m not sure what the Highlanders’ plan is so I’m just waiting to hear from that and I would imagine I will hear that through my said.
After Highlanders defensive coach Scott McLeod was confirmed as All Blacks defensive coach Wayne Smith’s replacement earlier this month, the Highlanders have been widely tipped to promote either Hammett or Mauger to head coach.
However, it might not be quite so clear cut. Particularly with someone such as Philpott and his head coaching experience available.
In a statement announcing McLeod’s departure, Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark reiterated the franchise wouldn’t make any coaching decisions until the end of this season.
‘‘Clearly with Scott moving on and, of course, Tony [Brown] joining Japan we need to add another coach to our mix from next year,’’ Clark said.
‘‘We were very happy to secure the services of Aaron Mauger recently and with Mark Hammett joining us last year we already have two experienced coaches, so just how we complement them will be determined through the recruitment process.’’
With McLeod gone at the end of the season, Clark has also highlighted the need to bring in agent,’’ Philpott a defence coach.
For the first time in his coaching career, Philpott, whose expertise are as a head and forwards coach, said he would handle the defensive responsibilities with the Magpies during the upcoming NPC.
Another candidate to step into the Highlanders is thirdyear Otago coach Cory Brown, who worked under Philpott as the defence coach during the recent under-20s World Cup triumph.
Brown stepped into the top job with Otago when brother Tony fully focussed on his assistant coaching role under former Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph in 2015.
‘‘It’s certainly an ambition,’’ Brown told Fairfax. ‘‘I haven’t really thought too much about it but it’s somewhere I want to get to, there’s no doubt.
‘‘If you want to be a professional coach, that’s [Super Rugby] where you want to get to. It’s all time and good structured weeks and the world’s best competition. As a player I always wanted to get to the highest level and it’s exactly the same as a coach.’’
Highlanders high performance development coach Jon Preston and assistant forwards coach Clarke Dermody are also understood to be in the running.