Former Super 12 winner David Nucifora will return to the coaching ranks at the helm of the Australian under-20s for the IRB junior world championship later this year.
Nucifora, the Australian Rugby Union’s high performance unit boss, will add the coaching duties to his regular job for the June 5-21 tournament to be held in Japan.
The former Wallabies hooker coached the Brumbies from 2002-04, winning the Super 12 title in his final year despite being told mid-season he’d lose his job.
He then coached Auckland Super rugby side the Blues from 2005-08.
Nucifora will replace former Waratahs assistant coach Brian Melrose at the helm of the under-20 team.
“There is some sound thinking behind taking this approach with the under-20s,” Nucifora said in a statement on Wednesday.
“One of the main reasons is that it will help deliver continuity through all our development programs.
“By having this sense of continuity in the program, we’ll always be tracking where players are at in the development pathway, what’s working with them on and off the field.
“That can be extremely useful in ensuring the holistic development of an individual.”
Australia have been drawn in Pool D alongside Wales, Canada and Tonga for the junior world championship.
Yikes
Guest
Yikes. While appearances can be deceiving, Nucifora appears to be a piece of work. The Brumbies hated him, the Blues hated him, half the HPU unit at ARU hates him, he's just canned Australia A and now - surprise! - has appointed himself to coach Australia U20, in the past often a coaching job for an up-and-coming coach, not a well-established S14 coach. I agree this is partially a cost saving mechanism. But still...
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
This has JON's fingerprints all over it. More cost effective by getting existing employees to do more, developing youngsters for the future, including the coaches of promise and tapping into a proven international coach who will be pushing, presumably for the next Wallabies coach.