KEY POINTS:
It is always dangerous to give a final verdict on a Super 14 coach or franchise before the end of the season.
The Brumbies did that with David Nucifora five games from home in 2004 and then watched as he coached the side to the title. Bit embarrassing
really.
Nucifora wanted to reduce the influence of senior players including George Gregan and Stephen Larkham, he wanted to invest in younger talent, but the players gave the Brumbies board an ultimatum that it was him or them. The board, chaired by Peter McGrath, sided with the players and Nucifora was told, mid-season, he was not required the next year.
These days Nucifora is into his third year with the Blues and is also being talked about as a potential successor to Wallaby coach John Connolly after the World Cup.
That sort of chatter was getting ramped up about Easter before the Blues stumbles and before the Australian Rugby Union appointed their new chairman McGrath.
Sources across the Ditch indicate McGrath remains opposed to any coaching elevation for Nucifora and that Laurie Fisher, who took over at the Brumbies with fifth and sixth placings since Nucifora's departure, and who was yesterday reappointed coach of Australia A for the Pacific Nations Cup, is next in line.
With that employment door shut, Nucifora has to persuade the Blues board and NZRU reviewers that he should be retained next season.
When he was technical adviser alongside Peter Sloane and Joe Schmidt in 2005, the Blues finished seventh and last year when Nucifora was chosen as head coach the team finished eighth.
Not the strongest statements, but Nucifora was retained. He stayed with the proviso that he take advice from other experienced rugby heads and include the players more in the decisions.
A month back the Blues had lost only one game and there was such strong support at board level for Nucifora there was almost nodding agreement he would be back in 2008. He still has strong backing but issues developing around three straight defeats caused some members to have a rethink.
Questioned by the Herald whether the result of last night's final pool game against the Force would have much bearing on his Blues future, Nucifora dismissed it as "left-field to be honest".
He sounded confident. Maybe Nucifora, like fellow Super 14 coaches Ian Foster and Colin Cooper had already been given an indication, though not as publicly, about his future.
