Queuing for Reds chalice

I guess any candidate would have to be saying they weren't confident of getting the Wallabies job?

Queuing for Reds chalice

By Jim Tucker
May 22, 2007

FORMER Wallabies David Nucifora, Michael Foley and Pat Howard are the chief contenders to take the poisoned chalice that is coaching Queensland Reds.

Queensland rugby reverted to its traditional state of chaos yesterday with the coach who was trumpeted into office on a three-year deal resigning after a single season.

Jones said he was "100 per cent" unlikely ever to coach again in Australia after a decision which he admitted was "letting down the players".

Shocked Reds skipper John Roe said he was very disappointed at Jones's decision.

He lamented the instability of yet another search for a coach and yet another rebuilding plan.

Jones said a tirade of media speculation over his future had weighed into his decision to quit the last-placed Reds, who he guided to just two wins from 13 Super 14 starts.

"As a coach charged with winning games, I failed 100 per cent because the results have been dreadful," Jones said.

"As a foundation for the future I believe the good signs are there.

"The payback hopefully will be there for the good coach the Reds need for the next four or five years."

Jones's decision was, in part, fanned by the Queensland Rugby Union's dysfunctional processes because last week he was set on staying.

The board's inability to reach any show of public confidence in the former Wallaby boss in the fortnight since the 92-3 disaster against the Bulls in Pretoria was telling.

Wallaby assistant Foley, who was pipped by Jones when the Queensland coaching job for 2007 was settled, said last night he was open-minded about the future.

Not to demean the reds, but if i was nucifora i would stay in Auckland and try and do one better next season!

Jones focuses on move to England

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Eddie Jones, who quit as Queensland Reds coach on Monday, has now set his sights on taking up a full-time position with an English club next year.

After finishing with the Reds, his immediate priority will be to honour consultancy roles with English premiership side Saracens and Suntory in Japan.

Jones said yesterday he would not take on World Cup coaching duties, despite confirming he had been approached by Samoa, Fiji and Tonga. "I won't be accepting them. I want to just focus on finishing here [Queensland] and then pushing ahead with my future coaching career in England," Jones said, adding he had also rejected an offer to coach a Six Nations side after the Cup.

Meanwhile, amid speculation that Wallaby forwards coach Michael Foley is favoured to replace Jones at Queensland, a rapidly firming contender is former Wallaby and Brumbies back Pat Howard, who has recently returned to Australia after a successful coaching stint with English club Leicester.

Other strong contenders for the position include Auckland Blues coach David Nucifora, who is now off-contract, and Australia under-19s mentor Phil Mooney.

Rupert Guinness

I actually think that Boe would be among the better choices and may be just the bloke to unlock the talents of the Islander boys such as Johansson.

Kiwi Boe keen to revive Reds

May 24, 2007

THE man who almost engineered the boilover of the 2003 Rugby World Cup wants to resurrect Queensland as a provincial powerhouse.

Highly-regarded former Manu Samoa coach John Boe has thrown his hat into a sizeable ring to replace Eddie Jones at the struggling Reds.

Former All Black Boe, a Gold Coast resident for the past three years, believes he can turn Queensland’s fortunes around by going against the current Australian trend with an entertaining, attacking game.

It was a style he used well to lift New Zealand province Waikato out of the doldrums to Ranfurly Shield success in the mid-1990s and as Samoa’s mentor from 2000-2003.

In the last World Cup, it was free-flowing Samoa who threatened to throw eventual champions England off course by leading for 67 minutes of an unforgettable pool match in Melbourne.

“It was on a knife-edge and we played a good style, an exciting style,” said Boe, the club coach of the Gold Coast Breakers who will also guide the East Coast Aces in the inaugural Australian Rugby Championship.

“That’s the sad part of Australian rugby at the moment, they’ve really had a history of playing good attacking rugby.

“They need to get back to that traditional attacking game.

“That’s the style Queensland should be pursuing.”

His comments come as current Reds backs coach Damon Emtage, with a year to go in his contract, has revealed he has no interest in the head coaching role.

“At the moment I’d like to be involved in the same capacity,” Emtage said.

While Boe may have the credentials in provincial and international coaching, including 2004 as Pacific Islands mentor, he may fall down in one crucial aspect.

It’s understood influential figures at the Queensland Rugby Union want to appoint a Queenslander and former Reds players Michael Foley, Pat Howard and David Nucifora are the leading contenders.

Others possibly in the `silly season’ mix are Australian under-19 coach Phil Mooney, former national sevens coaches Bill Millard and Julian Gardner and another ex-New Zealander, Grant Batty.

Members of the QRU board are currently conferring to settle on a process of finding the right man to be their sixth coach in seven unstable years.

Australia assistant Foley has shown guarded interest in the same job he was in the running for in late 2005 when Jones was eventually appointed.

Boe was also interviewed at the time.

He hopes his roots aren’t held against him now.

“I don’t regard myself as an outsider,” he said.

“Anyhow, Australian soccer did that (with Dutchman Guus Hiddink) and did well at the World Cup.
“I want to see Queensland get back to where they were as one of the best (provincial sides).”

AAP

I'm with you Burgs, Boe or foley for me...I can't see Nucifora coming back to aust...(yet)

^^ I admire Boe's passion but you can rest assured that the next Reds coach will be a Queenslander. Nucifora is interested as I understand matters. He may be shortening in price too. The possible problem for Foley is that he hasn't coached Super 12/14 - and like Jeff Miller, might find the transition from Wallabies assistant coach, a bit big. Mind you, had Miller been allowed to finish year three of his contract instead of Jones being appointed, I think the Reds would have had a better year - he seemed to be slowly building things while he was there. Nucifora - conflict with Brumbies playing staff may be a negative from his past, but this doesn't seem to have been a problem in Auckland. According to Andrew Slack's column in today's Sunday Mail, there are up to 11 candidates! In reality, I think it comes down to 3 or 4.

Probably a better option for Nucifora to be Coaching a Province than Australia if there is still anything left hanging from the Brumbies days.
Far better to be able to harness the hostilities for Reds v Brumbies matches than have to negotiate like Connolly v Jones.
By the end of that Coaching cycle surely any ACT bad blood would have passed and then would be the time to try for the Wallabies, either side of NZ 2011 depending on who takes over from Connolly.

Connelly will be free end of this year....

He wont be coaching Qld......

Reds look to Nucifora

By Jim Tucker
May 28, 2007

THE Queensland Rugby Union has made contact with David Nucifora to gauge his interest in being in the race for the Reds coaching job.

Nucifora is currently in discussions about extending his terms with the Blues, the Super 14 team coached by the former Queensland hooker for the past two seasons.

The selection process will unfold this week with five names on a shortlist, including Australia Under-19 coach Phil Mooney and Australia assistant Michael Foley.

The QRU has a difficult decision to make because there are really two coaching positions to fill.

Queensland needs a long-term head coach and a forwards boss with strong technical knowhow, or some blend that covers those necessities.

Former Wallabies player Tim Lane, who has coached extensively in Europe and South Africa, is also believed to be interested.

Lane was backs coach during the Wallabies' triumphant march at the 1999 Rugby World Cup before he coached the poorly performed Cats in Super 12 in 2004.

Upfront Lane pitches for job

By Jim Tucker
May 29, 2007

FRANCE-based former Australia international Tim Lane can activate a four-man package for a full Queensland makeover if given a shot as the Reds coach.

Several of the top contenders for the job are reticent about publicly registering their level of interest, but Lane was on the front foot last night, pitching for the role with the state for which he played in the 1980s.

Lane said he fired off his CV to the Queensland Rugby Union late last week, adding that he would be back in Australia next week from his current coaching base with French club Toulon.

"Hopefully, I'm part of the parade for the job because I'm very keen to get back to Australia and stay part of the coaching scene," Lane said from France last night.

"I'd obviously like to get in front of the QRU because coaching is about connecting personalities and ideas, and you'd want to do that face to face.

"I've got my own ideas and methods, and very different to Eddie (Jones).

"If I was lucky enough to get the job, I've already got my thoughts on a forwards coach of standing, a defence coach, and a strength and conditioning option."

Lane started his playing career in Sydney before a prosperous shift to Queensland in the 1980s built a solid term in state sides and earned him three Test caps in 1985.

The list of coaching contenders for the Reds job, which also includes Phil Mooney, Michael Foley and David Nucifora, will be shaved to a shortlist by the end of this week, with the prospect of interviews starting at the same time.

Foley pitches for Reds job


May 30, 2007

AUSTRALIA assistant coach Michael Foley will kill two birds with one stone this week, pressing claims for the Queensland coaching job ahead of the second Test against Wales.

The former Australia and Queensland hooker is set to be interviewed in Brisbane on Thursday for the Reds post left vacant by Eddie Jones.

Foley was the early favourite once Jones announced his resignation on May 21 but the job appears to be wide open.

Departing Leicester coach Pat Howard and Blues mentor David Nucifora are also among a shortened list of serious contenders as well as successful Australia Under-19 coach Phil Mooney.

Former Wallabies backs coach Tim Lane and ex-Samoa coach John Boe have also expressed interest in resurrecting the Super 14 wooden-spooners.

The Queensland Rugby Union has Foley's 1999 World Cup-winning teammate Tim Horan and former Wallabies and Reds hardman Tony Shaw assisting in the appointment process.

Foley confirmed he would meet with QRU officials on Thursday – a rest day in preparations for Saturday night's Test against the Welsh at Suncorp Stadium – but remained tight-lipped about his ambitions.

"The job I have at the moment is my main focus and the most important thing I have," he said.

Foley, who led English club Bath after ending his 50-Test career, is also a candidate for the Wallabies coaching post after his coaching mentor, John Connolly, bows out after the World Cup.

QRU chief executive Ken Freer has stated the importance of the Reds appointing someone for the long term after going through five coaches in seven years.

Freer wants to have Jones' replacement named by the end of next week.

"I'm delighted at the options we have, but that doesn't mean we've already made up our minds," Freer said.

"The new head coach has to be in it for the long haul, because we must have stability in this role."

Jones is due to end his contract on July 19 and will assist in a handover once the new coach is appointed.

AAP