As New Zealand Rugby scouts for a fresh coaching squad post-Scott Robertson's abrupt dismissal, All Blacks icon Sir John Kirwan is open to a radical approach—bringing in overseas expertise. While Robertson's coaching stint fell short, sparking his firing, Kirwan sees merit in international influence, echoing a strategy that's worked wonders for rivals like the Springboks.
Despite his preference for a Kiwi lead, Kirwan wouldn’t mind an international flair in the coaching mix. The conversation, sparked by Springboks great Victor Matfield on the Rivals podcast, put Ronan O’Gara, a former Crusaders coach and current La Rochelle head, in the spotlight. “Can I throw a wildcard in here? What about a guy like Ronan O’Gara? He doesn’t look like he’s in the running for the Ireland job,” Matfield suggested.
Kirwan responded, recognizing O’Gara’s potential but not as the head coach.
“There are a couple of world-class coaches, which I think are interesting. He’s one, although it seems to be his sideline behavior which would not suit us. I don’t think I see him as a head coach, I definitely see him as part of the staff,”
he stated. Matfield chimed in, proposing O’Gara could serve under a coach like Jamie Joseph.
The discussion then turned to Rassie Erasmus, whose strategy of incorporating global insights into the Springboks squad has been notably successful. Kirwan reluctantly admires Erasmus' approach.
“What Rassie has done, although I hate to admit it, is getting knowledge from other people, which is really, really important,”
Kirwan admitted. He also mentioned Shaun Edwards, another coaching titan, as a prime candidate for an assistant role, especially given his defensive expertise.
South Africa’s openness to overseas talent, both in coaching and playing stints, has brought them consecutive World Cup victories, highlighting the benefits of such inclusivity. “I just think that you get all that knowledge,” Matfield noted, emphasizing the improved gameplay from players like Fourie du Preez and Schalk Burger after their overseas experiences.
Ultimately, while Kirwan believes the head coach should be a New Zealander who understands the local rugby culture, he advocates for a blend of domestic leadership and international perspective to navigate the challenging landscape of modern rugby.
2,193 posts
As New Zealand Rugby scouts for a fresh coaching squad post-Scott Robertson's abrupt dismissal, All Blacks icon Sir John Kirwan is open to a radical approach—bringing in overseas expertise. While Robertson's coaching stint fell short, sparking his firing, Kirwan sees merit in international influence, echoing a strategy that's worked wonders for rivals like the Springboks.
Despite his preference for a Kiwi lead, Kirwan wouldn’t mind an international flair in the coaching mix. The conversation, sparked by Springboks great Victor Matfield on the Rivals podcast, put Ronan O’Gara, a former Crusaders coach and current La Rochelle head, in the spotlight. “Can I throw a wildcard in here? What about a guy like Ronan O’Gara? He doesn’t look like he’s in the running for the Ireland job,” Matfield suggested.
Kirwan responded, recognizing O’Gara’s potential but not as the head coach.
“There are a couple of world-class coaches, which I think are interesting. He’s one, although it seems to be his sideline behavior which would not suit us. I don’t think I see him as a head coach, I definitely see him as part of the staff,”
he stated. Matfield chimed in, proposing O’Gara could serve under a coach like Jamie Joseph.The discussion then turned to Rassie Erasmus, whose strategy of incorporating global insights into the Springboks squad has been notably successful. Kirwan reluctantly admires Erasmus' approach.
“What Rassie has done, although I hate to admit it, is getting knowledge from other people, which is really, really important,”
Kirwan admitted. He also mentioned Shaun Edwards, another coaching titan, as a prime candidate for an assistant role, especially given his defensive expertise.South Africa’s openness to overseas talent, both in coaching and playing stints, has brought them consecutive World Cup victories, highlighting the benefits of such inclusivity. “I just think that you get all that knowledge,” Matfield noted, emphasizing the improved gameplay from players like Fourie du Preez and Schalk Burger after their overseas experiences.
Ultimately, while Kirwan believes the head coach should be a New Zealander who understands the local rugby culture, he advocates for a blend of domestic leadership and international perspective to navigate the challenging landscape of modern rugby.