Number of Kiwi coaches at World Cup prompts questions over health of global rugby
As the ninth Rugby World Cup approaches, the bookmakers’ odds on a Kiwi getting his hands on the trophy at tournament’s end are small. Perhaps, then, they should frame a market on which Kiwi, given nine of the participants have either Kiwi head coaches or, in the case of England and Tonga, New Zealanders in prominent positions among the back-room staff.
Throw in an Australian coaching England, Welshmen in charge of Canada, Namibia and Russia, and a South African leading the United States, and 55% of the teams at the tournament are not coached by a native.
Is that healthy for the global game? Perhaps not. The top intellectual property remains, for now, the domain of the few. The various participants leading other than their native teams are all professionals, and so certainly can’t be blamed for jumping at the opportunity to coach in international rugby.
This is especially so among the New Zealanders given their home country is one of the few still holding out on enlisting foreigners. The longevity of the Kiwis in their positions indicates they are meeting expectations.
Georgia have continued to build on the promise shown at the last World Cup with the former Southland and Bay of Plenty halfback Milton Haig running a successful programme in Tbilisi. Ditto the under-rated John McKee with Fiji, who have always had the players, but now have an organisational structure and a level of fitness that could have Australia and Wales sweating over the next couple of weeks.
Such has been the work of McKee, it is surprising that he is not being touted as a possible Wallabies contender, especially given he has enjoyed success on the domestic scene in Sydney before. That could change if Fiji topple Australia in their opening game.
Former North Harbour coach Steve Jackson might have lower aspirations with Samoa, who have won just eight of 20 at the tournament since the second of their quarter-final appearances 24 years ago. Samoa won just one game when in “local hands” last time.
Joe Schmidt’s Ireland and Warren Gatland’s Wales are undoubtedly contenders although there’s a fair chance both will have to get past their birth country in order to prevail. Ireland emerged from the recent rankings ping pong rated No 1. Historically, that’s a good place to be: of the four tournaments held since the rankings were introduced in 2003, three have been won by the top-rated side as the competition began.
Outside of All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, the New Zealander under the most scrutiny is Jamie Joseph, whose Japanese side is the centre of great expectation. The former All Black, who also played for Japan at the 1999 tournament, has fellow Kiwis Tony Brown and Scott Hansen, both of whom are returning to New Zealand next year, alongside him in the coaching box.
The trio have had the squad together for a long time, keeping most of the players out of Super Rugby, as they’ve plotted to upset one or both of Scotland and Ireland in order to make the quarter-finals for the first time. It won’t be easy, as last Friday’s 41-7 pummelling by South Africa showed.
While Japanese success would boost the tournament’s standing in the eyes of locals and neutrals, even if they fail, we will no doubt hear, during the next six weeks, plenty of messaging trumpeting the “growth” of the game internationally. Global viewership numbers will be quoted, attendance and profit figures too. The game is clearly enjoying expansion in some areas, but its health is questionable when so many of the top international coaching positions are not held by natives.
Certainly, this reflects the excellence of the New Zealand game, and the desire of others to tap into that knowledge, but is World Rugby inadvertently only adding to the coaching depth of the major players, given it is funding many of the coaches of the second-tier nations out of its development kitty?
Brown has already been tipped for a post on the All Blacks’ staff next year. Joseph may be headed that way too. Hansen is returning to the Crusaders. McKee is assisted by Tabai Matson and Neil Barnes, both of whom coach in Super Rugby at the Chiefs.
While coaching internationally offers excellent career development for the individuals concerned, how much of that intellectual property gets assimilated into the local game before the “hired gun” moves on? How many of the assistant coaches of these teams are locals?
This is not a new trend. The seven New Zealand passport holders running campaigns in Japan equals the same number four years ago, and is only one more than in 2011. Wales have had a
Kiwi in charge of their national side at five of the last six tournaments, and will replace the incumbent with another next year, making it something of an irony that three Welsh head coaches will still be involved at this World Cup.
Significantly, many of the Kiwi expats oversee major nations. Which all begs the question: given the World Cup showcases the game at its best, how much is the diversity of the game really evolving at its highest level?