Rugby: Barry's mission to bridge the gulf in quality

Liam Barry: 'I'd love to be super optimistic and say next year we'll win the championship. But we've got to be realistic.' Photo / Steven McNicholl

Being handed the reins of the under-achieving North Harbour ITM Cup side may seem a hospital pass to some, but new coach Liam Barry can think of no better challenge.

The one-test All Black flanker from the 90s, and assistant coach with Pat Lam at the Blues, was this week announced as new coach of North Harbour for the next three years.

He takes over from former All Black prop Craig Dowd who presided over two miserable seasons where Harbour finished 11th this year and 12th in '09, with 4-9 records in both campaigns. However Barry elected to retain Dowd's assistant, former All Black great Jeff Wilson.

Barry, a Harbour stalwart who played 83 games over nearly a decade for the province, is passionate about making his once-proud union mighty again, but knows it won't be a short-term fix.

So, I have to ask, are you sure you really want the job?

Yeah, quite a few people have asked me that now. That's good though, at least they're honest.

But yeah, it's a great opportunity and you have to look at it as a challenge. You wouldn't take it if it was easy, would you?

What is it about the challenge specifically that appeals to you?

I think the excitement is the fact that I'm born and bred there, educated there, I know the history, I know the people and obviously I played for them.

So it's obviously a natural alignment that that's the team I'd like to coach, so it's very exciting and very challenging at the same time.

You've held various roles with the Blues over the past five years, did you always see coaching an ITM Cup side as the next step in your career?

I think so. Even though Super Rugby is considered the top end, I think the pathway for coaches is still running a team and leading the team. And so for me I've sort of done my work here at the Blues and learnt from head coaches that I've had and can now take that through to the ITM Cup level.

Is there anything that you think will require your immediate attention or a key aspect you feel you need to address straight away?

Yeah I think the player base needs strengthening.

We've got some talented local players and the retention of those players is vital to start with, because they are North Harbour players.

But the recruitment of players is still essential in some positions because we're light in terms of player depth.

So that will be something we need to undertake right now, because a lot of players are signed up to provinces already.

North Harbour has a large catchment area, but is not really known as a rugby powerhouse. What do you make of the talent of the region?

The key for us is sustainability. We would like to get to a point where, three or four years down the track, the majority of our players are North Harbour products.

That could be a lofty ideal, but that's what most unions should be after. So, in terms of that, the development structures that we've got with both playing and coaching pathways through the 16s, 18s, 20s, to your development team, it all has to be aligned and have a real focus at that end so that as an ITM coach you've seen those players through the years and they've got an affinity with the union as well. I think that's essential.

You've been given a three-year contract, do you envisage it will take that long to turn things around?

I think so. I'd love to be super optimistic and say next year we'll win the championship. But we've got to be realistic and Harbour have struggled for four years now for various reasons. I like the fact the board have given me that [amount of time] and see it as a long-term project.

You've brought in Jeff Wilson, who was axed a just few weeks ago by the board, as your assistant - why have you brought him back?

When I was going for this job I suppose I did due diligence on assistant possibilities throughout the region and what came through was that Jeff was the best man for the job. I think he offers a strong skill-set and coaching style that I feel I'll be able to work with really well. And also it adds a nice continuity from the last couple of years.

You have a strong rugby pedigree, what is your favourite memory from your time in the All Blacks?

Oh heck, I only played one test [against France in 1995]. But I suppose lining up in Paris was pretty exciting for a young fulla. After I came home from my first tour in 1993, I was able to sit down with my grandfather. My grandfather [Edward], my father [Kevin] and I had all played for the All Blacks, so it was pretty special just sitting down and talking about it with him and sharing the experience. And I think three weeks later he died, so I was grateful for that chance.

As you say, there are three generations of All Blacks in your family - did your father and grandfather have a big influence on your rugby career?

I think they most probably did, but I can't remember it in the fact they were so behind the scenes. They were certainly not pushy, I've got two other brothers and a sister and they enjoyed all our sporting endeavours, so I think they just encouraged us. I'm sure they were tempted to coach us constantly, but it didn't happen.

Do you have any sons that could potentially be the fourth generation of All Blacks in your family?

I've got four kids - two daughters (Esther, 9 and Nieve, 7 months) and two sons (Nathaniel, 6 and Isaiah, 3). At the moment I can't see it, but funnier things have happened. My boys are only 3 and 6, so it's all fun for them at the moment.