Rugby: Hopefuls for Cooper's coaching job put through their psychological paces

By WYNNE GRAY

There will be a lineup of Waikato rugby's who's who tomorrow as hopeful Chiefs' coaching staff head into their interviews.

All the candidates to succeed the departed Ross Cooper have been put through a series of psychological evaluations before their interviews with a special panel.

Those going to the interviews include John Boe, Kevin Greene, Kiwi Searancke, Ian Foster, John Mitchell, Andrew Talaimanu and Mac McCallion.

Applications closed more than a fortnight ago and there has been a frustrating delay since for contenders, the Chiefs franchise and the NZRFU.

The interview panel will have five members, though an independent adviser from a recruitment company will not have a vote. Those will go to an independent Chiefs' board member, Chiefs' chief executive Gary Dawson, NZRFU official Greg Peters and independent former All Black Stan Meads.

A decision on the successful pair to replace Cooper and his assistant coach Greene is not expected for another fortnight, once all the contracts have been finalised.

The panel will make their coaching recommendation to the Chiefs board, with the NZRFU having the final say.

It is almost four months since the Super 12 ended and with the NPC almost over, the NZRFU admits the delay in announcing all the coaches for next season is unacceptable.

It is understood Blues coach Gordon Hunter is also undergoing a further review this week as part of a wide-ranging mid-term analysis of New Zealand's part in the Super 12.

Any further delays on appointments will hinder plans for the Super 12 coaches to meet soon to discuss the draft 22-strong squads they want for next year's competition.

Meanwhile, Waikato have discovered they have everyone except Nick Holten available for Saturday's home game against Auckland.

Flankers Marty Holah and Clark McLeod are over their Ranfurly Shield injuries, while midfield back Mark Ranby is available again after several weeks out.

Auckland are only concerned about the fitness of Keven Mealamu and Adrian Cashmore, with both given a solid chance of being ready.

With their Ranfurly Shield reign over, the Waikato players sat about for a couple of hours in their changing room honouring their three-season run and talking about the rest of this NPC campaign.

"The key thing now is we have got to put the words into action," coach Searancke said.

The squad had a visit yesterday from All Black biomechanist Mark Sayers who took them through his training methods for contact work.