Auckland send out global search party

By Wynne Gray

Auckland have given themselves a fortnight's deadline in their global search for an NPC coach after Jed Rowlands was sacked yesterday before he had even begun his new task.

In the image of last season when Graham Henry made a rapid exit for Wales and left Auckland without an NPC coach, the province has begun another urgent headhunting operation to find a new leader.

The situation is not quite as drastic as last season when Maurice Trapp had to be coaxed out of retirement to take the NPC squad. On standby this time is NPC assistant Wayne Pivac, but first the ARU will scour other options.

Chief executive Geoff Hipkins and his staff will draw up a hit-list of possible candidates after a special ARU board review decided Rowlands could not be asked to take the NPC side after the poor Super 12 season.

The task will be tough as many contenders are now under contract for other jobs. However, it may be the ARU will try some coaches with profiles as high as Ian McGeechan, Bob Dwyer, Matt Williams and John Boe or as diverse as John Graham.

It may be a costly stop-gap choice but Auckland cannot afford to fail after the spotty past year.

Rowlands lost his job the day after Wellington assistant coach Graeme Taylor was also axed, twin examples of the tough life of professional rugby.

While Rowlands was dumped from his NPC job he was still optimistic he would get another Super 12 position next year. He felt he had the support of the NZRFU and thought his year's experience would be taken into account in his bid to continue his new rugby coaching career.

After the former maths teacher was revealed as the surprise pick to guide the Blues this season ahead of more seasoned coaches Trapp, Mac McCallion and John Boe, Rowlands was then appointed Auckland NPC coach "subject to review."

A poor season of results where the Blues ended ninth, triggered that review, Hipkins said. It is understood other issues first raised in the New Zealand Herald including player disquiet about Rowlands' coaching methods, a lack of chemistry between Rowlands and his assistant McCallion and team discipline, also came into the discussion.

While the ARU subseqently denied there were any dramas within the squad, Hipkins yesterday accepted there had been problems. In mid-season there had been discussions and even earlier the NZRFU had talks with Rowlands, McCallion and Robin Brooke to "make sure the triumvirate was working well together."

Hipkins also accepted the Herald revelation that Rowlands was not the preferred choice of the ARU board for the Blues head coach when the selection committee met last October.

But that committee overruled Auckland's preference for Trapp, according to Hipkins, who added that the three NZRFU officials, Hipkins, ARU chairman Reuben O'Neill and North Harbour chairman Brian Purdy all voted on the decision.

O'Neill headed the board meeting on Tuesday night which "voted unanimously" that Rowlands could not be persevered with. Six members, Hipkins and president Keith Nelson were present while three board members were absent but sent in "detailed submissions."

Soon after his dismissal, Rowlands maintained the even disposition he has displayed all year though he felt he had been the victim of a tough call. He accepted he may have suffered because he was honest and naive, but he thought the NZRFU would still look favourably on him.

By-products of the review, said Hipkins, were to deal with player and administrative culpability in Auckland and also to lobby the NZRFU for more say in the Blues franchise. The players had not been on performance-based contracts like Rowlands, who may also have been thrust into the job a little early.