Blues boosted by Henry’s appointment

Blues boosted by Henry’s appointment

22 Aug 2012

All Blacks World Cup-winning coach Graham Henry will join the Blues management for next year’s Super Rugby season.

The former New Zealand boss joins head coach John Kirwan’s management team, and will take over the defensive duties. This is the same role he had the last time he worked with the Blues in 2003 – the season when the Auckland franchise won the Super 12 title.

All Blacks skills coach Mick Byrne is a major coup too, and he’ll take charge of the forwards and mentor the kicking. Former Australian rugby league player Grant Doorey, who assisted Kirwan during his time with the Japanese national team, is also signed on as the backline coach.

‘I’m thrilled with this coaching team. The experience and individual expertise these three men offer is exciting for me as head coach, for the Blues and our supporters,’ said Kirwan. ‘We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us but I believe the combination of this coaching group puts the Blues in good hands for 2013.’


61 Comments

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  • 1.viewer: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:20 am

    Instant top 6 finish – just add water

  • 2.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:23 am

    Good news for SA. The return of the Blues (“technical analyst” my arse) means the Chiefs and Crusaders will get knocked over a couple of times more. The points will be spread around more evenly over there.

  • 3.Jeraldjay: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:30 am

    Is Sir Graham going to hold John Kirwan’s hand at practice.

    “John, I’m RWC winning coach and was knighted, so don’t tell me what I should and shouldn’t do”.

  • 4.Te Rangatira: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:31 am

    @mikeybrass-2:
    Nz conference is survival of the fittest, five good teams going at it hammer and tongs…..Nz’ers will have it no other way.Whichever team takes the Nz Conference will be battle hardened and hard to beat.

  • 5.Te Rangatira: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:32 am

    @Jeraldjay-3:
    Ahh JK is also a Knight…….Sir John Kirwan to the peasant folk.

  • 6.Jeraldjay: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:36 am

    I see Mick Byrne is also joining the Blues the AB’s skills coach.

    In history of Bok Rugby we never had a skills coach or someone specializing in skills development.

    Quite bizarre……..

  • 7.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:37 am

    @Te Rangatira-4: Or flakked out with injuries :-) :-)

  • 8.viewer: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:38 am

    NZ take their rugby seriously. They wouldn’t tolerate lions or cheetahs semi-pro type teams

  • 9.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:38 am

    @Jeraldjay-3: ufo was delighted with kirwan taking over, it seems jk himself knew he needed guidance :D

  • 10.Jeraldjay: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:42 am

    @Te Rangatira-5:
    How easy we forget.

    He also was influential in winning the 1987 RWC, so Sir Graham should only speak when spoken to.

  • 11.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:43 am

    Sort out the indicipline in the Blues team and that is half their battles won.

  • 12.aliboy: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:45 am

    Conference system is going to be a big plus for SA and Aus next season. Winner of the NZ conference will be wide open with the other 4 NZ teams all well performed in 2012. Young Hurricanes side started showing that they could knock over the top teams at the end of the comp, Crusaders always there, Chiefs the champs, and now a talented Blues with hopefully less injuries and a top level coaching team. I’ll pick the Highlanders to come last in NZ conf, but leave plenty of Aus and SA teams behind them on the overall log.

  • 13.Te Rangatira: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:46 am

    @mikeybrass-7:
    Maybe…players can get injured in these so called soft games against weak teams as well, or even out on the training paddock.

  • 14.viewer: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:46 am

    Otherwise jake white, brendan venter, allan solomons (now with kings) , nick mallett would be involved with SA SR teams

  • 15.pompies2: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:47 am

    @Jeraldjay-6: True, we seem to prefer a mass of strength and conditioning coaches.

    Who needs skill when you have strength. :D

  • 16.Jeraldjay: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:49 am

    @Transformation-9:
    Hope JK ‘s over his depression issues.

    Rugby can drive you to insanity, just look at HM during test matches. Imagine how he would look when the **** really hits the fan.

    I also see Clyde Rathbone is interested in playing in the Vodacom Cup.

  • 17.John Galt: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:51 am

    Johan Goosen starting for the Tahs against the Kwas this weekend.

    Good news that.

  • 18.viewer: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:52 am

    @11 kwagga – they can also sort out the players’ hair

  • 19.cane: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:52 am

    Sir Ted and Sir JK,

    What next………………………………..a round table.

  • 20.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:53 am

    @Jeraldjay-16: Sy moer man!! Arrogante klein moegoe

  • 21.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:54 am

    @viewer-18: Hehehehe. Ja bliksem the showers must be nightmare to sort out after a game.

  • 22.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:57 am

    @aliboy-12: SA with the Kings in the mix >>> guaranteed 10 points all around :D

  • 23.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:58 am

    @KWAGGA ROBERTSE-20: Remember Rathbone scoring a try against us a couple of years back and him pounding his chest like madman whilst Gregan stopped just short of humping his leg.

  • 24.Jeraldjay: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:58 am

    @KWAGGA ROBERTSE-20:
    Kwagga hy’t vir tydjtie gesikkel met depressie. Daarom kon hy nie speel nie.

    Is Rathbone oorsponklik van die Sharks.

  • 25.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 10:59 am

    @Jeraldjay-16: i haven’t watched the game on the telly, i heard heyneke was going nuts in that coaching box…i couldn’t hear him even though i was sitting about 15m from him.

  • 26.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:03 am

    @Jeraldjay-24: Ek weet maar toe loop verkoop hy mos sy dienste oorkant die water en maak asof SA die kakste plek onder die son is. Kevin Pietersen se tricks getrek.
    Gotta admit though he was hot property in his younger days.

  • 27.grant100: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:05 am

    alle respek vir Clyde … hy het gelei aan depressie – hy het so dik geword soos quota january en binne 3 maande elke gram vet verloor …. gaan kyk op google. hy is nou in die shape van sy lewe en gaan weer ‘n force wees volgende jaar!

  • 28.viewer: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:09 am

    @jeraldjay . Ya he was a Shark. He revealed years ago that the Sharks made him pay the medical bills for treatment of a groin injury while he was still their player

  • 29.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:09 am

    @grant100-27: respect vernon philander first jou DOOS!

  • 30.grant100: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:11 am

    dale took more wickets than vernon in the whole series … morkel was the best for me …. respect vernon for being the third best SA bowler – but i must say in the 3rd test, 2nd innings you were SA’s best bowler (on the day) … happy transformation ?

  • 31.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:13 am

    @Te Rangatira-13: We’ll see :-) Sir Ted will whip those Blues into shape in no time, like he did twice before.

  • 32.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:15 am

    @grant100-30: Just when the openers think they have seen off Morkel and Vernon (if they survived that is), along comes Steyn. How demoralising :-)

  • 33.grant100: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:17 am

    blues are kak … always was, always will be, even if they get the “wunderkind” johan goosen and francois hougaard, they will still not be any good … something in the air in Auckland!

  • 34.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:20 am

    @grant100-30: jy moet vreet boytjie…you were groot bek about who must be given the new ball and lo and behold vern dispatched of both the opening left handers, then took the 1st wicket the next morning and wrapped up the day in stunning fashion in the process making sure his name is emblazoned on the honours board at LORD’S…jy moet respect seun!

    :lol:

  • 35.richardmarais: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:21 am

    @grant100-33: When Henry coached them, they won the S10/12 a few times and went through one season unbeaten. If I recall, they had one draw to NTvl.

  • 36.gonzo: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:22 am

    @grant100-33: and yet still more successful than any SA franchise – 4 finals, 3 titles

  • 37.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:22 am

    @grant100-33: They thrashed allcomers in the mid-1990s when Teddy was in charge. He returned as “technical adviser” for 1 year a decade ago and they thrashed allcomers again. The Blues will be a force next year.

    @Transformation-34: Philander is the man!

  • 38.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:26 am

    @gonzo-36: why are you counting “finals” appearances? they count for zilch! the blues are tied with the bulls in terms of TROPHIES!

    the only currency for winners, 2nd is 1st loser!

  • 39.grant100: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:27 am

    Transformation, good for him. I’m glad we won …. Good thing CSA got rid of that no name bowling coach Vincent Barnes … thanks to the legend Donald that our bowlers are doing such a great job …

  • 40.stew: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:28 am

    @grant100-33: Were have you been for the last ten years ?

  • 41.pompies2: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:28 am

    @grant100-30: Based on your comments, i assume you must be a dutchie, which explains alot, since the dutchies aren’t exactly renowned for their cricketing prowess. To them, a fine leg can only be found on Walletjie straat

  • 42.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:30 am

    there casn be no argument, Big Vern is now a fixture, what a player.

    with morne, dale and vern we are well set and king kallis to do damage when we need him.

    surely the worlds top bowling attack when tahir is factored in?

  • 43.pompies2: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:30 am

    @grant100-39: Take away the perfomance of vern in the 3rd test and Amla in the 1st and third test and donald would be the bowling coach of the 2nd best test side.

  • 44.grant100: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:31 am

    i still remember when i played against vernon 2 years ago … very good swing bowler. I only managed to score 35 runs of his 3 overs … was my slowest half century ever …. i ended 53 of 27 balls (for those who can’t count – i scored 28 runs of the other 9 balls) … good times.

  • 45.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:31 am

    @pompies2-41: Wayne Smith on:

    The No.9 to No.12 attacking ball

    “You’ve just got to be careful in rugby that your unpredictability doesn’t become predictable, so that your ability to run the ball doesn’t become a weakness. You still need to vary your game so that you’re creating patterns that you want to see. If you become too 9-12 oriented to set up fast ball, sooner or later it’s going to become a weakness rather than a strength.”

  • 46.Jeraldjay: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:32 am

    Grant 100 your obsession with quota players will get you nowhere.

    Vernon’s bowling average is 16.46 after 11 games. In recent times, bowling averages by the worlds top bowlers is between 28.00 and 32.00.

  • 47.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:33 am

    @pompies2-41: silly comment buddy, no need to brand entire groups of people.

    its only xhosas who my zulu mates tell me are inverterate liars :lol:

  • 48.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:33 am

    @grant100-39: did you see the vital 61 and 35 he posted when SA needed to consolidate in both innings? :D

  • 49.grant100: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:33 am

    nah pompies…. take away 300 from amla wont really matter…we won by a innings… still a great performance by Amla … but we are so much better than England … Pakistan in pakistan is a different story! – thats if they don’t throw the game

  • 50.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    22 Aug 2012, 11:34 am

    transie is obviously excluded :lol:

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