Hammett to replace Brown?
One might think Highlanders assistant coach Mark Hammett sleeps with one eye open and on the soon to be vacated head coach job at the franchise.
However, the former Hurricanes and Sunwolves coach insists he would be more than happy to continue in his current role once Tony Brown leaves for Japan at the end of the season.
Hammett signed a three-year deal as an assistant coach ahead of the 2017 season, but there has been speculation he or fellow assistant coach Scott McLeod are in line to be promoted to head coach next year.
It would follow Brown’s path in replacing Jamie Joseph for the upcoming season, not that Hammett is thinking about it.
‘‘It’s not something I’ve come down here thinking I’ll do my year and then move in,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s probably more the reverse of that.
‘‘I came down and signed a three-year contract solely as an assistant coach. If that’s what it is, I’ll be stoked. If there’s an opportunity or I’m the right fit, or they think I’m the right fit, that’s something I will look at.’’
Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark, who didn’t name Joseph’s replacement until last June, said the franchise had no timetable in place to appoint Brown’s replacement.
Hammett ‘‘seriously considered’’ extending his contract with the Sunwolves after last year, but opted against it after deciding he wanted to come back to New Zealand as an assistant.
The former All Blacks, Crusaders and Canterbury hooker’s name was also linked to the Crusaders’ vacant head coaching job last year, but he denied applying for the job.
After four years as the head coach of the Hurricanes, one with the Sunwolves and a stint as the Cardiff Blues director of rugby, wanting what most would see as a demotion raises questions.
But Hammett said the change was refreshing. ’’It’s a challenge, you’re busy but it’s a different busy,’’ he said. ‘‘There’s a reason why I wanted to specifically go back to assistant coaching, and that’s because I wanted to get the whistle back on.
‘‘You’re obviously out on the field. It’s been good to get back to working hands on.’’
Hammett said it was also the main reason he helped assist the Tasman Makos during last year’s Mitre 10 Cup, a role he won’t seek again this year.
‘‘It was one of those things I looked at, but at the end of the day you just don’t have the time to do two seasons these days,’’ he said.
Hammett’s family, which remained in Christchurch while he was in Tokyo coaching the Sunwolves, has moved to Dunedin with him.
The 44-year-old is in charge of the Highlanders’ forward pack, and will focus on lineout attack and the breakdown area.
Born and bred in Christchurch, he said he was enjoying the way Brown ran the cutter.
‘‘It’s a nice change and it’s chal- lenging. It’s an innovative environment.’’
Despite being a former Crusaders player and assistant coach, he didn’t find anything odd about working for a long-time rival. ’’To be quite honest, when you’re coaching you’re so immersed in your environment. That’s your sole focus.’’