{"id":189661,"date":"2025-12-18T08:03:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T08:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/189661\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T08:03:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T08:03:11","slug":"five-possible-targets-for-the-vacant-assistant-coach-role","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/189661\/","title":{"rendered":"Five possible targets for the vacant assistant coach role"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With the end-of-year review of the All Blacks<\/a> likely in full swing, a replacement in the coaching staff is a genuine possibility, which could involve someone from outside the environment joining Scott Robertson\u2019s staff.<\/p>\n

Former Blues<\/a> head coach Leon MacDonald<\/a> left the All Blacks setup in 2024, before newly appointed Hurricanes<\/a> assistant and former All Blacks coach Jason Holland, decided not to reapply for his assistant coach position, which was predominantly a \u201cstrike coach\u201d role, after the conclusion of his two-year deal.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s some coaches overseas who could possibly be persuaded to join Robertson\u2019s staff, while others are locked in international roles until the World Cup.<\/p>\n

Contracts today seemingly carry less weight than they did 10-15 years ago, as coaches often have clauses in their deals that allow them flexibility when needed.<\/p>\n

A reshuffle in the current coaching staff could be on the cards for this group, with someone taking up a bigger and more influential role, but you get the feeling that after doing that after MacDonald\u2019s departure, they could be on the lookout for an addition.<\/p>\n

Here are five of the options, whether they are directly available or not, that could fill the current void in the All Black coaching staff.<\/p>\n

Tony Brown \u2013 Springboks<\/p>\n

In an ideal world for Robertson, New Zealand<\/a> Rugby, and the All Blacks, they would love to appoint current Springboks attack coach Tony Brown<\/a> as the team\u2019s new assistant coach going into 2026 and beyond.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s on the more unrealistic side, with Brown contracted with the Springboks up until the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup<\/a> in Australia, alongside head coach Rassie Erasmus<\/a>, who just put pen to paper on a deal until 2031.<\/p>\n

Erasmus, who recruited Brown in 2024 after Jamie Joseph\u2019s group of coaches didn\u2019t get the All Blacks job, has recently signed a contract extension with South Africa<\/a> for another four years, up until the 2031 World Cup.<\/p>\n

Brown hasn\u2019t put to paper on a new deal just yet, but the likelihood of him jumping ship to the All Blacks under Robertson looks unlikely, despite being the No.1 target for NZR.<\/p>\n

Ronan O\u2019Gara \u2013 La Rochelle<\/p>\n

The current La Rochelle head coach could add some experience that this All Blacks coaching staff needs, and he has a solid relationship with Robertson after working together at the Crusaders<\/a> in 2018-19.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Gara\u2019s long senior career for Ireland<\/a> and Munster, combined with his successful coaching stints and hard-nosed approach, could be the main selling point for NZR.<\/p>\n

The former Ireland playmaker has been shortlisted and rumoured to be in the hunt for an international gig, one of which is an All Blacks assistant coaching role.<\/p>\n

Former All Black World-Cup winner and Crusaders outside back Israel<\/a> Dagg was full of praise for O\u2019Gara, who is contracted at La Rochelle up until 2027.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s someone out there, it\u2019s potentially Ronan O\u2019Gara,\u201d Dagg said on his Sport Nation NZ radio show with Scotty Stevenson.<\/p>\n

\u201cRazor\u2019s got a great relationship with him, I\u2019ve been coached by him, he\u2019s an awesome coach \u2013 I absolutely loved my time with Ronan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew Goodman \u2013 Ireland<\/p>\n

Ireland assistant coach Andrew Goodman has a contract in Andy Farrell\u2019s coaching group until 2027 and has recently been a part of the British and Irish Lions<\/a> coaching staff for their 2025 tour to Australia.<\/p>\n

The backs coach has also previously held roles at Tasman, the Crusaders, and Leinster, winning a number of titles throughout his coaching career so far.<\/p>\n

Goodman, considering his relationship with Robertson, Scott Hansen and Jason Ryan, could be one of the frontrunners if persuaded, especially with his Kiwi playing background.<\/p>\n

There is no doubt the British and Irish Lions tour would have done him the world of good coaching-wise, and that specific experience, could help this All Blacks backline get back on track.<\/p>\n

Nick Evans \u2013 Harlequins<\/p>\n

The former All Black playmaker has been coaching abroad for all of his career after playing 208 times for Harlequins, and has been discussed as an option for the available role in the All Blacks coaching group.<\/p>\n

Evans played 16 times for the All Blacks over a three-year period, and has been an assistant coach at both Harlequins<\/a> and England<\/a> since.<\/p>\n

Sky Sport commentator Tony Johnson said on the\u00a0DSPN Podcast\u00a0with Martin Devlin that his aerial skills expertise could be a key reason for Evans to be wanted for the role.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been working with the Harlequins club, and as a player who could bring something in terms of igniting that attack, which has been a frustration this year, the backline attack, and also with his ability under the high ball,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember a former AFL player, Aussie Rules player, Nick Evans? Well, he didn\u2019t go to the big show, but he played Australian rules, so obviously has that knowledge as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cory Jane \u2013 HurricanesYes, the current Hurricanes assistant is a defence coach at the Wellington-based Super Rugby Pacific<\/a> franchise, but his expertise around the high-ball tactics and how to defend it, could be the missing piece the All Blacks are searching for.<\/p>\n

Jane\u2019s work with the Hurricanes could also help him edge the role over the other candidates, as he could also help Tamati Ellison look after the defence, someone he has coached with before at the Hurricanes.<\/p>\n

Jane has also dipped his feet into international-level coaching, helping Joseph with the All Blacks XV<\/a> in their recent end-of-year European tour.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With the end-of-year review of the All Blacks likely in full swing, a replacement in the coaching staff…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":189662,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[111,139,69,213],"class_list":{"0":"post-189661","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-new-zealand","9":"tag-newzealand","10":"tag-nz","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/189661","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=189661"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/189661\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/189662"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=189661"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=189661"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=189661"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}