Mana Otai a 'standout' coach

Bring on the Heartland Championship: Poverty Bay coach Mana Otai is looking forward to the 2018 Heartland Championship. He is to name a 22-man side for Saturday's annual Queen's Birthday weekend derby with Ngati Porou East Coast at Tolaga Bay. Picture supplied

NEW Poverty Bay Heartland Championship coach Mana Otai will not be shifting to Gisborne.

The former Tongan international captain and coach will continue to live in Auckland but will be based here for the Heartland Championship.

Otai, whose last game in charge of Tonga was a 47-9 loss to the All Blacks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England, says not living here will not be a problem.

“I’ll be making visits to Gisborne in June and July to look at club players, and I have contacts in Gisborne who will keep me up to date with what is happening.

“We’ve also got continuity with all of last year’s management team back on board, including assistant coach Dwayne Russell. I’ve met them and spoken about what we want to achieve and what their roles are.”

Former Poverty Bay and All Black triallist coach Grant Allen — who is third on the list of most games for the Bay and was one of the three-man interviewing panel who recommended Otai for the position — also saw no problems with Otai not living in Gisborne.

“We advertised the position widely and Otai was the standout candidate and there are people here who can help him,” Allen said.

“Let’s face it. It’s impossible to get quality coaches from outside

the district to move to a small area such as ours. They

have lives to live and families to think about."“But Otai is attempting to build on his reputation with Tonga and the union will do everything it can to help the team do as well as they possibly can.”

Otai said he was excited about the challenge of re-establishing himself at grassroots rugby.

“Grassroots is where it all starts and while the season might only last three months, I’ll be rolling up my sleeves and doing everything I can to make this season successful.

“If that means bringing in loan players in key positions, the union and I will sit down and discuss it.

“Marty (Davis, Poverty Bay union chief executive) is due back from France shortly so I’ll catch up with him and start putting some plans in place.

“When I come down in June/July, or maybe some time sooner, I want to have a good relationship with local coaches.

“These are the guys who know the players and who work with them on a week-to-week basis.

“I do know one of the Bay players, Siosiua Moala, who I coached when he was coming through the age-group reps, and I’ve been watching videos from last season’s Heartland Championship.

Russell said he was looking forward to working with Otai.

“As well as being a top player — an uncompromising No.8 for Manawatu and Auckland — he’s coached at international level . . . I can’t wait to start working with Otai,” Russell said.

“I mean no disrespect to Mutu (Ngarimu, who Otai has replaced after four years). I have a lot of respect for Mutu as a person, coach and player. He did a good job but maybe it’s time to hear a new voice.”

“I met Otai last week at a rugby development officers’ meeting in Palmerston North and was immediately impressed with his knowledge and enthusiasm.

“Having Steve Smith (manager) Tuterangi Nepe-Apatu (strength and conditioning coach), Mike Evans (physiotherapist) and Doc (Doctor Patrick McHugh all back again gives us stability.”