Mulvihill leading Tahs race

[travelling_gerry]

Mulvihill leading Tahs race

By Bret Harris
April 16, 2008

WESTERN Force attack coach John Mulvihill has emerged as the front-runner to coach New South Wales following Andy Friend's appointment at the Brumbies.

It is understood Friend was on top of the Waratahs' short list and was being strongly considered as the replacement for Ewen McKenzie, who is expected to secure the Stade Francais position in Paris.

But the Waratahs are also believed to have a very high opinion of Mulvihill, who has done an outstanding job in developing the Force's attacking game.

Another leading contender is believed to be former Australia five-eighth Brian Smith, who is coaching London Irish, while NSW attack coach Todd Louden has dropped out of contention.

Tahs chief executive Jim L'Estrange revealed he has started interviewing candidates.

There is no doubt the Waratahs will talk to Mulvihill at some stage, if they have not already done so.

"Good luck to the Brumbies," L'Estrange said of Friend's appointment. "Andy has clearly got a great track record.

"We've got a really good variety of coaches on our list, which I have to interview, so we are really comfortable with the names we are looking at.

"I think they are names that suit NSW, suit our culture and suit the expectations of where we need to be.

"There are some really good names out there that are looking for an opportunity to coach a Super 14 team and a team like the Waratahs. We'll go through our process. I'll use a variety of experts to help me get there."

L'Estrange said the Waratahs were also looking to extend the contract of rookie outside centre Rob Horne, who made an outstanding run-on debut against the Force in Perth last weekend.

Horne, 18, scored one of the Waratahs' two tries, was sharp in attack and strong in defence.

He is contracted until the end of next year but the Waratahs are keen to secure him on a long-term deal.

"Rob is a really exciting talent and has proven himself to be very much part of the team in his first four games," L'Estrange said.

"If we can get Rob to stay longer at the Waratahs, I think he will be a really important cog going forward for us."

The fourth-placed Waratahs will be trying to avoid complacency when they host the last-placed Lions in Sydney this weekend.

"It's something that I'm sure our guys are well aware of," Waratahs forwards coach Steve Tuynman said.

"It's a lower placed team. We have to come out with a resolve on the night.

"They might be 14th, but if you have a look at their games, they play some good football."

With Matt Giteau sidelined after a head knock, Lachlan MacKay will make his first appearance in the Force's No10 jersey against Queensland in Brisbane on Friday night.

MacKay's promotion has opened the door for exciting 17-year-old rookie inside back James O'Connor to make his debut off the bench.

- Additional reporting: Peter Kogoy


Mulvihill leading Tahs race - Rugby - Fox Sports

[GIGS20]

Won't matter much...the 'Tahs problems are in the boardroom not in the coaching staff!

[BLR]

Considering we haven't been the best in attack this season this could actually be a good thing for us....

[The InnFORCEr]

Wednesday, 16 April 2008 12:34pm
RugbyWA
RugbyWA Chairman Geoff Stooke and Emirates Western Force Head Coach John Mitchell have endorsed Emirates Western Force Assistant Coach John Mulvihill’s bid for the advertised coaching position at the NSW Waratahs.

Mulvihill has applied for the position of Waratahs Head Coach, which will be vacated by Ewen McKenzie at the end of the 2008 Super 14 season.

Originally from Queensland, Mulvihill played for the Waratahs in 1990 before switching to Rugby League for a three-year career with the Balmain Tigers.

The former Australian Under 21s representative began his coaching career in Europe, where he headed up Irish outfit Navan, and completed a stint as the Youth Development Officer for the Irish Rugby Union.

Mulvihill has been a member of the Emirates Western Force coaching staff since the team’s inception in 2006 and was Head Coach of the ET Perth Spirit in last year’s Australian Rugby Championships.

RugbyWA Chairman Geoff Stooke praised Mulvihill on his achievements in Perth, but said he has the best wishes of the organisation to advance his coaching career elsewhere.

“As an inaugural member of the Emirates Western Force coaching staff, John has contributed immensely in the development of the side and we have no doubt would make a fine Head Coach,” said Stooke.

“We would be sad to see him leave however we acknowledge that, like all guys in John’s position, he has ambitions to get to the next level in his coaching career,” he said.

Stooke said that RugbyWA’s development policy extended to its coaching staff.

“Our development policy isn’t exclusive to playing staff and extends right through the organisation and we’d be delighted to see John fulfill his coaching ambitions.

Having said that, if John is unsuccessful in his application for the Waratahs position, we gladly welcome him to continue on in his current role with the Emirates Western Force,” said Stooke.

Emirates Western Force Head Coach John Mitchell echoed the feelings of the Chairman.

“‘Mulvers’ has been a tremendous asset to our coaching staff and it would be a shame to lose him, but he wants to take the next step in his coaching career and you can’t begrudge him that opportunity.

[Moses]

Considering we haven't been the best in attack this season this could actually be a good thing for us....

At the week 5 points the Force's attack would have been in the top 3 in the comp (with blues and saders). Since then defenses appear to have adapted to your gameplan and the tries have dried up.

[impassabull]

Sorry but Mulvihills record as an attack coach is poor, I am being as polite as possible. His record as a head coach with the Perth Spirit was poor, polite again, on paper he had the best side in the comp and they were woefull. This year with the Force he has more Wallabies and potential Wallabies in his backline than anyone else and can still only get 1 bonus point for scoring 4 or more tries.
The Force backline is boring and predictable but then it might be a good thing if he does go (anywhere) because assistant coaches never get the sack, unless the head coach goes, and we might get someone half decent.

[BLR]

The Force backline is boring and predictable but then it might be a good thing if he does go (anywhere) because assistant coaches never get the sack, unless the head coach goes, and we might get someone half decent

That's probably why the Force have endorsed him as the Tah coach.

[The InnFORCEr]

[chook]

How about keep Todd as attack coach and let John Mulv run the show? Too much speculation at this stage. Most likely a Randwick boy will get the gig


Tahs want Cheika, Fisher cast aside


Pie Growden Chief Pie Correspondent and Rupert Guinness | April 16, 2008

Former Randwick back-rower Michael Cheika is firming as the man to take over from Ewen McKenzie as the head coach at the Waratahs next season.

The Herald was last night told that several NSW Rugby Union directors were eager for Cheika to be appointed to the position even though he recently signed a two-year extension with the Leinster club in Ireland. Since his playing days, Cheika has been a highly successful coach, both with the Galloping Greens in Sydney and then with Leinster, whom he joined in 2005.

Even before the NSWRU recently decided not to extend McKenzie's contract, Cheika was high on a list of preferred candidates. But it appeared Cheika was no longer an option when he signed the extension in Ireland a few weeks ago. However, the Waratahs have obviously not given up, and their interest has become far more serious. The Waratahs are not scheduled to make an official announcement until next month, but it could be fast-tracked.

Meanwhile, Brumbies coach Laurie Fisher has become the third of the top five candidates for the Wallabies coaching role to lose their job since missing out to New Zealander Robbie Deans for the national position.

The appointment yesterday of former ACT fullback Andy Friend as Brumbies head coach from next season for three years means Fisher joins Ewen McKenzie (Waratahs) and John Muggleton (Wallabies defence) as coaches who have been told to move on. Scott Johnson (Wallabies attack) withdrew his candidacy for the Wallabies coaching position but was also subsequently released from the Wallabies coaching staff.

Meanwhile, Blues coach David Nucifora, who was fancied for the Wallabies position until Deans's late application, is rapidly falling out of favour in Auckland as his side slips down the ladder. Nucifora is tipped to be the next Australian Rugby Union high-performance director. And radio presenter Alan Jones, who also applied, is still to be handed "the place in Australian rugby" that ARU chairman Peter McGrath said was always there for him after naming Deans as Wallabies coach last December.

The ARU would not comment on the fall-out for those candidates for the Wallabies post, but may still feel vindicated for its choice of Deans, who will take up the position as soon as the Crusaders finish the Super 14.

Yet the futures of those Deans beat might not necessarily be for the worse. Overnight, McKenzie was in Paris and due to meet with Frenchman Max Guazzini, the charismatic owner of the Parisian Top 14 club Stade Francais, about the lucrative possibility of becoming their new head coach. Johnson has since signed a contract to coach the United States. However, Muggleton is thought to be looking for a position and is reported to be interested in a possible return to rugby league, where he played and coached before joining the Wallabies before the 1999 World Cup.

Fisher's fate is unknown, but Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan yesterday said he may be offered an "ongoing role" with the club, such as forwards coach, which he held before taking up the top job in 2005.

"Laurie will take some time to reflect and let this news sink in, but we do want to speak with him," Fagan said.

Fagan made it clear that the decision to not offer Fisher a new contract was based on results. After winning their second of two Super titles in 2004 under Nucifora - who had been sacked mid-season - the Brumbies have never made the semi-finals, placing fifth (2005), sixth (2006) and fifth (2007).

"The last four years have been successful in many areas, but obviously we would have liked to have been in some finals," Fagan said.

The appointment of Friend, who is coaching English club Harlequins, was rubber stamped by the ACT board on Monday night after he was recommended by a selection panel of Fagan, Brumbies captain Stirling Mortlock, and former Brumbies players and ARU high performance managers Brett Robinson and Pat Howard. They also drew on the advice of former coaches Rod Macqueen and Eddie Jones.

[travelling_gerry]

Actually if Force DIDN'T want Mulvihill to leave this would be EXACTLY how you go about it.

The old switcheroo...."Oh yeah.....great coach...you would love him...really really good"

[impassabull]

To be really paranoid let him apply then sack him for losing that job and being disloyal

[Thequeerone]

Book book book

What are our options if Mulv goes East ?

[waratahjesus]

he aint been mentioned in the east! we don't want him! no one in there right mind wants him! thats why he is in perth!

[jono]

At the week 5 points the Force's attack would have been in the top 3 in the comp (with blues and saders). Since then defenses appear to have adapted to your gameplan and the tries have dried up.

thus why we are not the best attack in the competition.
and why it might not be the end all if we were to have new blood in the attacking side of coaching.
the game's evolution can be measured week by week as well as season by season. you have to keep up with both.

[travelling_gerry]

he aint been mentioned in the east! we don't want him! no one in there right mind wants him! thats why he is in perth!

Well if you bothered to read the first post in this thread..its an ES report....and your board asked him to apply...