Rugby: Chiefs assistant Tom Coventry signs with London Irish

Tom Coventry. Photo / file.

Tom Coventry believes the time is right to step up to the challenge of being a head coach.

The Chiefs assistant will take up a three year contract with English club London Irish at the end of this year's Super Rugby campaign.

Coventry says it was a tough decision to leave a place where he's enjoyed success.

"A lot of remonstrating, a lot of talking with my family and my wife in particular, we've got a lot of family ties here in Hamilton. So a huge change, but I think the timing's right to move and look for something for myself in a head position."

Coventry was mentioned as a possible candidate for the then vacant Hurricanes job last year, however he says that role was never really an option.

"I personally believe that it probably needed to go a local person and obviously me, from not being a local Wellington coach, I just didn't think the timing was right. I think the appointment that they made was probably the right one."

He says he hasn't done any recruiting, but understands Ben Franks is on board to join the club after the World Cup.

"Ben was in negotiations with the club before I was involved, so I'm pretty sure he's gone through the process of signing his contract with them for after the World Cup. But that was done before my involvement."

Coventry says he likes the ambition and vision London Irish presented to him.

He also intends to be involved with Manu Samoa at the Rugby World Cup despite a clash with the new job.

The English premiership pre-season overlaps with Rugby's showpiece event.

Coventry says it's one of the things that he has work with his new bosses.

"But there's some timings when I could be around the club and being involved in the pre-season and getting things started, so that will be one of the challenges of the first year but I also enjoy my role with Manu Samoa so I've got a bit of a juggling act on my hands."