It is very common for former players to enter the coaching box once they retire. Some of them are successful, while others are not; unfortunately Sir John Kirwan falls in the latter category.
Sir John Kirwan was a great rugby player. He was the first of a new breed of big, powerful wingers, and at times he was utterly unstoppable.
If Jonah Lomu hadn’t redefined what unstoppable meant, we would consider Sir John the prime example of a big winger who could score tries almost at will.
Sir John is also a leader in redefining how men think about depression. His fronting of campaigns to publicise depression made him a statesmanlike figure with a profile far beyond that of merely a rugby player. He has proven himself to be both a physical and mental giant among men.
But does any of this greatness translate to Sir John being a good rugby coach? Does any of his status automatically mean he should be coach of an important franchise like the Blues? Do any of his peerless qualities as a man translate to an ability to inspire others to succeed on the field? Unfortunately the answer to all these questions seems to be no.
Sir John began his coaching career after short assistant-coach appointments at the Blues and Italy, before being named head coach of the Azzuri. While Italy are not quite a top-flight team, they do play in the Six Nations and are one of the world’s premier national sides.
It seemed that Sir John got the job based on all the qualities mentioned, not on his abilities as a coach. He had no track record of head coaching at club or provincial level to support any claim to coach a Six Nations team.
His record with Italy was 21 losses and 8 wins. Only 2 of those wins were over other premier level sides – one over Scotland and one over Wales. Their other wins came against sides like Romania and Japan. Eventually the Italians realised that in spite of his reputation, Sir John was not the man for the job and he was shown the door.
He moved from there to coach Japan. His record was 24 wins, 18 losses and one draw, but the win figures are inflated because Japan play in the Asian Nations Cup Top 5, a competition which they win every year. They regularly run up massive scores against teams like Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, Singapore, UAE and Sri Lanka. They are completely in a different class to these teams, and 20 of the 24 wins were against those teams.
During Sir John’s tenure, Japan also played in the Pacific Nations Cup and picked up the occasional win against Tonga, Fiji and Samoa, while getting thumped resoundingly by New Zealand Maori and Australia A. The big result during his time was the 23-23 draw against Canada in the World Cup, Japan’s first result in a World Cup match that was not a loss.
But none of these results really showed any great development in the Japanese side, in spite of an increasing profile for rugby in Japan and improving playing standards among the clubs.
Once pushed out by the Japanese, Sir John moved to the Blues and appears to have been appointed coach based on his Auckland heritage, which presumably means he could get other Aucklanders to play good rugby. This has not proved to be the case. A great player and a great person have not combined, in this case, to create a great coach.
Sir John’s teams abound with talent but they do not seem to have any collective drive or ability to harness their talents in a way that leads to great sides, like the Auckland teams of the ’80s that Sir John played in. Sir John is tarnishing his reputation of succeeding in everything by proving unsuccessful as a coach.
It’s time for the Blues to look elsewhere, for a coach who has a proven track record in coaching teams to success.
Not necessarily a big name, not necessarily a former player, not necessarily a great man, not necessarily a knight – simply a good coach.
leftfield
Roar Pro
Piutau also, he almost always beats at least the first player.
leftfield
Roar Pro
Nooo, just tell him to wait and see. There might be a new coach pretty soon and things could change.
Lindsay Amner
Roar Guru
SBW owned the All Black No 12 jersey in 2012. Nonu was available but SBW was selected ahead of him for all the mid year tests against Ireland. When Conrad Smith was injured the ABs asked SBW to stay on for the first Tri nations game against Australia as well. Nonu was brought back but tellingly he was moved out to 13 and SBW stayed at 12. This was a massive shift from the year before when SBW had been the utility and was shuffled around the backline. In 2012 SBW was the best 12 in the world and if he had stayed it would have been his jersey ahead of Nonu for as long as he wanted it.
ben
Guest
Bryn hall is up there with aaron smith in clearing the ball. Dont know why hes not getting game time.
ben
Guest
Proctor?
ben
Guest
Kaino and mealamu are both part of the abs leadership group.
ben
Guest
I know francis has had enough and wants out....looking overseas. Im trying to convince him to move to the canes where next year theres a spot at 2nd 5. Hes still got a lot to offer nz rugby but with jk at the helm is disillusioned.
ben
Guest
Faumauina, woodcock, tuipolotu,luatua are all descent worldclass players. I thought faumauina and tuipolotu were great against the canes. Its not the playing roster thats the issue.
Lano
Roar Guru
That theory makes us ordinary folks, axiomatically, flawless.
Johnno
Guest
nos, Nonu,Mcallister
taylorman
Roar Guru
Mind you...after watching Fekitoa disrobe Folau a few times tonight he just might push on for Smiths position.
richard
Guest
don't agree.
Johnno
Guest
I reckon the Blues have the 2nd best pack in the comp this year after the Stormers, they competed well last night without there main man Kaino, and a few other injuries , Hayden Triggs went on early last night, he is good too. There backs aren't gelling I blame the halves. Put Bernard Foley/Albe Mathewson behind the blues pack, they could win the comp.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Aargh, that comment again. Have a look around and count how many born or youth played Auckland players since 1996 have played Holden cup, nrl, non Blues SXV sides, and northern hemisphere rugby. Far more than any other area that's for sure. Auckland provides players for the entire planet, not just Auckland.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Not about being afraid. It's about the best two for the job. Fekitoa and SBW are in no way proven to be better than Smith and Nonu as a centre pairing. They may be younger and fitter, but just because your opinion is they are individually better players doesn't make them a better pair, especially since that combo hasn't even been tried. Last year Fekitoa was positionally found out several times. He is also not a natural distributor of the ball to his wings and often went too far with the ball, not looking for runners when his run came to and end. Individually he is a good runner, stepper and is strong on the tackle, very much so. But at test level he's not mastered the space out there yet in the way Smith knows how and where to be on both attack and defence. That is what I meant about not mucking around with centres. Yes trying fullback is stupid, but passing on a very successful combination at this point, with a few months to go, is the same thing. SBW has never owned the AB test 12 spot over Nonu so that's pure conjecture. Nonu didn't have a great year last year so SBW might push him out but I don't think he will.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yes but my comment was his Third successive injury prone year. He was injured out in the semi in 07, then again in 2011, and has now just come off injury, one of many since 2011. He wasn't part of 03 all that much with Merts and Spencer. In saying that he did play well today but I still think he's a major risk, and a habitual injury prone element.
Not Bothered
Guest
Previous WCs showed us that you dont put a fullback out of position at centre without the right build up and that has nothing to do with SBW and Fekitoa who play inside and outside centre. But I do think they will keep Nonu and Smith there because, as you suggest, they will be afraid to try a new combination, not because they are the best imo. Im just not sure if being afraid is the best way to go into a WC. It wasnt with Mils in 2011 and Dagg needed to prove himself when Mils was injured to get his deserved spot ahead of a player he had clearly surpased. I think Fekitoa and SBW are the best players for those positions but they may be kept from the opportunity to form, what imo would be, the best and most dangerous centre combination in the world. All because they will be afraid.
Not Bothered
Guest
Cowan has played well.
Phantom
Roar Rookie
IMHO the blues lack only 2 things to make them a good team. A halfback who clears ball quickly and a #10 who has vision to run the game and kick 70 % of the goals. The rest is already there.
Lindsay Amner
Roar Guru
My apologies, you are quite correct. I have read the "fact" about the draw being their best result in numerous articles, particularly those talking about Japan's need to get a win before they host the world cup themselves. Again my apologies for the error.