Tom Cairns new Bay coach

THE COACH AS A PLAYER: Tom Cairns in action as a prop for OBM against Ngatapa in 2002. File picture by Paul Rickard

RUGBY

FORMER Gisborne Boys’ High School first 15 coach Tom Cairns has replaced Mana Otai as Poverty Bay Heartland rugby coach for next season.

Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union chief executive Josh Willoughby said in a statement that Cairns was the winning candidate from a strong field of applicants.

“We’re looking forward to building a successful culture with Tom at the helm of the Heartland team.

“Tom’s coaching record with the Gisborne Boys’ High School first 15, Poverty Bay age-grade representative teams, and New Zealand Secondary Schools speaks for itself.

“The mana within our rugby community and deep understanding of who we are and who we represent is what impressed the recruitment panel the most about him.”

Willoughby said the review of the 2018 Heartland campaign identified several areas for improvement — one of which was the need to build a positive culture and identity not only within the team but throughout the union.

“We believe Tom will do this and do it well,” Willoughby said.

“Among other things, the development of local players and better connection with clubs came out of this year’s review. Tom knows how to get the best out of players and has links with local clubs.

“However, we (the PBRFU) believe this is a shared responsibility between the union and all the coaches . . . and this appointment marks an exciting period of change toward this.”

Willoughby said the union had new initiatives and strategies focusing on the development of local rugby players next season.

“But we can’t do it alone. We need key people in the right positions to help us drive an environment that instils pride in our jersey, our community and our whanau . . . Tom is one of those people,” Willoughby said.

The rest of the Heartland coaching and management staff have yet to be confirmed. They are expected to be announced in January.

The Bay have won the Lochore Cup (for teams placed fifth to eighth in the Heartland Championship) four times. They won a hat-trick of titles from 2006 to 2008, and their last success was in 2011.

They have never won the Meads Cup, something Ngati Prou East Coast did in 2012.

In 2013, the Bay finished bottom of the table, second bottom in 2014 and third bottom in 2015.

Under Otai they missed out on a Lochore Cup semifinal, finishing ninth out of 12 teams last year and 11th this year.

“Mana has put considerable effort into the team over the past two seasons, commuting from Auckland during the club seasons and living in Gisborne through the Heartland Championships,” Willoughby said.

“We thank Mana and his whanau for his time and commitment.”

The Herald was unable to contact Cairns this morning.