Rugby: Magpies coaching boost as Lee extends contract

PLOTTING: Danny Lee is committed to bringing more success to Hawke's Bay rugby by penning a new deal.PHOTO/FILE

Magpies backs coach Danny Lee has committed himself to Hawke's Bay Rugby for the 2016-17 ITM Cup seasons after agreeing to an extension to his contract.

This comes in the wake of Magpies coach Craig Philpott extending his own deal for another two seasons last month.

Lee said yesterday he was pleased to commit to the extended contract as he had enjoyed coaching alongside Philpott and the extended Magpies management team to achieve the success they had to date.

"I'm a passionate Hawke's Bay man and this is where I want to be coaching right now," he said.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of coaching at ITM Cup level and working with and helping develop talented players to be the best they can.

"Having the Ranfurly Shield in the province for an extended period was a special thing to be part of."

Lee said he believed the Magpies could continue to be successful over the next few seasons and he was looking forward to being part of it.

Hawke's Bay Rugby Union CEO Mike Bishop said yesterday Lee had "done an excellent coaching job with the Magpies to date".

He said Lee had formed a highly successful coaching partnership with Philpott that had seen the Magpies win the Ranfurly Shield for the first time in 44 years in 2013 and later that year the team was narrowly defeated in the ITM Cup Championship Final.

In 2014, the Ranfurly Shield was again won and retained through four defenses into the 2015 season along with the team again being runners up in the ITM Cup Championship Final.

"A further seven defences of the shield in 2015 before the recent defeat to Waikato and the fact the Magpies have a home semifinal in the ITM Championship this coming weekend after finishing as top qualifiers in the round robin phase of the competition shows that, over his previous four years coaching the squad, Danny has made strong progress and is now a highly respected and experienced ITM Cup coach," Bishop said.

He said Lee and Philpott could now look to continue building on "their already impressive record to date".