Smal recruits Kiwi Feeney to ‘stimulate’ the minds of WP coaches
WHILE Stormers boss Robbie Fleck is set to go overseas soon to research the latest coaching methods, Western Province have also roped in a New Zealander to “exchange ideas” on attacking rugby with players and coaches.
Blues coach Paul Feeney, who was an assistant to Tana Umaga in Super Rugby this year as the skills coach, has arrived in Cape Town and started a 10-day session with WP on Monday, where he spent time with Fleck, Province coach John Dobson and others during practice in Bellville.
It is all part of the provincial union’s bigger picture of playing “a positive and progressive brand of rugby across all of our teams”, according to director of rugby Gert Smal.
The 52-year-old Feeney, a former flyhalf who has been involved with teams in Fiji and Japan as well, is a “specialist attack coach”.
He left the Blues earlier this month to seek a more hands-on coaching position, and told the New Zealand website stuff.co.nz two weeks ago that he may move overseas as “there’s not a lot around” in terms of jobs in his home country.
That move appears to be to Cape Town and WP, although at the moment the Kiwi is just in the Mother City for 10 days and has not yet been contracted for the Stormers in Super Rugby next year.
“I have always been a big believer in calling on outside influences to stimulate our coaching system, and it is great to have someone of Paul’s experience and quality to take a look at what we are doing and offer his point of view,” Smal said in a statement.
“Part of our vision is to nurture and develop our coaching staff at all levels, and with over 20 years of top-level coaching experience, Paul is the ideal candidate to do just that as we look to give ourselves every possible advantage. His input and perspectives have already been invaluable.
“We want to play a positive and progressive brand of rugby across all of our teams, and Paul will be able to challenge our coaches to make some serious strides towards that goal.”
In addition to Feeney, it is understood that Fleck will soon be leaving for Australia and New Zealand to pick up ideas and gain experience from various coaches Down Under, while the former Springbok centre will also visit England coach Eddie Jones later in the year.
The Australian mastermind – who has turned the English into a world force again by winning the Six Nations and beating the Wallabies 3-0 away in June – promised to help out the Stormers following his dramatic departure from the Cape side last November after just a fortnight in charge.