Rugby: Mike Rogers is new Manawatū Turbos head coach

Mike Rogers will become the Manawatū Turbos coach later this year. Photo / George Novak

Former Bay of Plenty assistant Mike Rogers is the next head coach of the Manawatū Turbos.

The Manawatū Rugby Union (MRU) confirmed the appointment of the 43-year-old, who is about to start his second season as assistant coach of the New England Free Jacks in Major League Rugby in the United States, on a three-year contract last week.

Rogers beat 26 others who expressed interest in the role after impressing the interview panel of MRU chairman Tim Myers, chief executive Andrea Jackson, Manawatū centurion Bruce Hemara and Hurricanes general manager rugby Tony Philp.

Myers said Rogers was well equipped for the challenge of taking the reins of the Turbos.

“We’re excited to be in the position to appoint a coach of Mike’s calibre. He brings a depth of experience that will benefit the development of not only our local players but also, and very importantly, the development of our local coaches.”

Rogers will arrive in the region at the conclusion of the 2023 MLR season.

Manawatū great Nehe Milner-Skudder has been appointed in an interim capacity to provide local coaching for the union’s high-performance players until Rogers’ arrival in July.

Hemara, who served as Turbos assistant coach between 2006 and 2010 and MRU president from 2018-2021, says Rogers had the tools to transform the union’s high-performance programme.

“He is a young coach, but he has got a lot of experience in terms of developing players,” he said. “I think he has a lot to offer in terms of how he wants to play the game. He’ll bring a lot to our young players with his ideas.”

Rogers is looking forward to the challenge of turning around the Turbos’ fortunes.

Building alignment and a strong culture within the team and with the wider community was key.

“Building strong relationships is the reason I coach rugby. What I love about coaching is that it is a people game and I am 100 per cent convinced that culture drives performance rather than the other way around.”

Rogers’ extensive coaching experience started in club rugby where he led Tauranga Sports to three Baywide Premier club titles in Bay of Plenty during his six-year stint at the helm. He was head coach of the Bay of Plenty Under 19s, starting in 2015 and finishing with their Jock Hobbs National Under 19 title-winning season in 2018.

At NPC level, Rogers was an assistant coach under now Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan between 2017 and 2020, including their 2019 Championship victory.

In 2020, he was named head coach of the China Lions in the Global Rapid Rugby competition that was cut short due to Covid-19. From there he linked up as an assistant coach for the inaugural Chiefs Manawa side in 2021 before taking on the assistant role with the Farah Palmer Cup Premiership winners, Waikato.