Opinion: Northland Rugby Union needs to do right by its coaches

Why the NRU did not publicly announce the resignation of Taniwha head coach Derren Witcombe (pictured) is baffling. Photo / Photosport

OPINION

You can understand why the Northland Rugby Union might want to sweep this year's Mitre 10 Cup campaign under the rug.

Eight losses in 10 games while conceding the highest number of points (393) across the 14-team competition was never in the plan for the Taniwha, a team renowned for punching above their weight.

A horrific run with injuries to a number of experienced players proved a mountain too tall to climb for Northland, as their hopes of a home semifinal were quickly dashed by bigger and more clinical provinces.

Northland's second-to-last place finish in the championship even seemed under threat at one stage when perennial strugglers Southland claimed their one and only win of the season.

Thankfully the boys in Cambridge Blue were able to avoid the wooden spoon through a dominant 40-10 win over Otago in their last game of the season.

Personally, I can find a number of positives out of the season which deserve highlighting.

Despite players dropping like flies, the team continued to show heart when it would have been all too easy to throw in the towel and give up.

Northland powerhouse Jaycob Matiu (left) personified the passion the team had during the season. Photo / File

No 8 Jaycob Matiu epitomised this attitude and until the final games of the season, he led the competition in total carries and positive gainline carries, proof of his belief in the cause.

Unfortunately, the union has not shown the same pride in its team's efforts this season by not publicly announcing the resignation of 2019 head coach Derren Witcombe, or the appointment of 2020 head coach George Konia.

According to NRU chairman Ajit Balasingham, local clubs were informed when Witcombe handed in his resignation last month, but maintained he did not see the need to inform the public through an announcement over Facebook or on the NRU website.

In fact, the first public mention of either Witcombe's resignation or Konia's appointment looks to be when the Northland Rugby Union Facebook page shared the story discussing the matter, which featured in the Northern Advocate on Thursday.

On one hand, I can understand his reasoning. The best way to deal with a problem, such as a resignation, is with a solution, such as an appointment, and what would be gained by announcing one without the other?

However, if that was the case, why has Konia's appointment - which was confirmed last week - not been shouted from the rooftops with all the joy and excitement it deserves the minute it was ratified?

When he was approached for comment for Thursday's story, Witcombe declined to explain his decision to resign. On the surface, it seemed odd for Witcombe not to give his public farewell to Northland Rugby given the obvious passion he has for rugby in the region.

Derren Witcombe's service to the union certainly deserved a message of farewell and respect. Photo / File

Furthermore, it adds fuel to any fire which suggests Witcombe was shown the door due to this season's poor results. Balasingham denied this claim, saying the NRU was expecting Witcombe to honour the final year of his contract in 2020.

But looking closer, you can understand why Witcombe would prefer to stay silent on that chapter of his life. Any season with as many injuries as Northland had would surely take a toll on a head coach, and I'm sure he has said his goodbyes to the team and the union behind closed doors.

But also, why would you feel the need to talk publicly if your own union won't publicly announce your resignation? I feel sorry for Derren because, even though this year hasn't been the best for the Taniwha, his efforts deserved a lot more respect than was shown to the public.

What adds salt to the wound is Witcombe was a coach determined to win back the disillusioned Northland rugby fanbase through a policy which favoured local players over those from outside Northland.

It's obvious by this season's crowd numbers that he had made a start towards achieving that goal, and had results gone his way, we may have seen a huge turnout at home games towards the end of the season.

However, by relying on word-of-mouth to spread the news of Witcombe's resignation through the rugby community, it will tell some members of the public they aren't worth much, if anything, to the NRU.

As much as the NRU is primarily beholden to its clubs and players, it seems baffling to ignore casual Northland rugby fans in what are major decisions for next year.

The radio silence doesn't just reflect poorly on Witcombe, it portrays a lack of confidence in Konia who will be attempting to lead a Jack Debreczeni-less Taniwha team to a home semifinal, something he said he was confident in doing.

Hopefully new Taniwha coach George Konia (left) can see the team succeed in 2020. Photo / File

I know that's probably not the case. The NRU would not appoint a coach it wasn't confident in but as far as image goes, the union certainly isn't helping itself.

And this is not an isolated incident either. As reported in the Northern Advocate on Wednesday, Cheryl Smith and Susan Dawson are confirmed to coach the Northland women's team in 2020 after an outstanding maiden year in the Farah Palmer Cup, making the championship semifinals.

As far as this reporter can tell, Smith and Dawson were the only former Black Ferns in head and assistant coaching roles in the Farah Palmer Cup in 2019, according to union websites.

This kind of stuff should be celebrated over and over until we get bored of hearing it. The NRU has the services of two of the best rugby minds in the women's game and yet we hear very little about it.

The NRU is extraordinarily lucky to have the likes of Cheryl Smith (left) and Susan Dawson at the helm for Northland's women's rugby team. Photo / File

That, coupled with the fact that Alistair McGinn recently vacated his role of chief executive leaving the position yet to be filled by a permanent replacement, shows things aren't exactly settled at the union.

The public are not oblivious. They can see there is change afoot at the union so best to be upfront and open about it, rather than keeping things behind closed doors which will only make imaginations wander.

If union staff are honest in their intentions to win the public over in seasons to come, the NRU needs to smarten up and show some respect publicly to the people who have put their hearts and souls into seeing the Cambridge Blue succeed in the past and into the future.