Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate / Sport

Shock exit stuns Taniwha

Peter Thorley
Northern Advocate·
13 Feb, 2015 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
LEGACY OF SUCCESS: Derren Witcombe (left) has left his role as Northland ITM Cup coach. He is pictured here with last year's Taniwha captain, Cam Eyre.PHOTO/MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM

LEGACY OF SUCCESS: Derren Witcombe (left) has left his role as Northland ITM Cup coach. He is pictured here with last year's Taniwha captain, Cam Eyre.PHOTO/MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Coach who championed locals leaves

NORTHLAND rugby coach Derren Witcombe has dropped a bombshell, quitting his Taniwha contract to take up a coaching position overseas.

Witcombe has been the head coach for the past two seasons, taking the Taniwha to a good finish in last year's championship while declining Super 15 opportunities and staying loyal to Northland.

However, the brand of rugby he coached has apparently caught the attention of an as yet unknown overseas club.

Witcombe said it had been a privilege to return home to Northland and coach the province where he started his playing career.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It has been great to work with such passionate rugby people - colleagues, volunteers, club coaches, players and many others who contribute to our provincial game.

"The success of the Northland Rugby Union in 2014 is attributed to the collective, so we all should be proud. However, I have been given an opportunity to coach overseas and for many reasons have chosen to accept," he said.

The former Taniwha and All Black hooker previously assisted Adriaan Ferris in the 2011 and 2012 seasons and was part of the push to use more local players in the squad - partly because of financial constraints but also to retain a committed squad core. The success of the 2014 season was also underlined by a greater number of super rugby contracts awarded to Taniwha players.

His loss is a double blow for the Taniwha with 2013-14 assistant coach George Konia also resigning in December to take up another coaching post.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Witcombe told the Northern Advocate yesterday he was unable to say at present where he would be coaching other than to say it was overseas.

"I would like to thank the ITM Cup management team and players; we've worked hard together to create what we have and I wish the Taniwha every success in the future. I will always actively support the union no matter my location," he said.

The chief executive of the NRU, Jeremy Parkinson, said Witcombe's loss would be keenly felt. "Unfortunately, it's just the nature of the business we're in.

"The ITM Cup is a stepping stone to other professional rugby competitions, be it the Super 15 or overseas, and it's no real surprise that Derren's been made an offer."

He said while the timing of his resignation was hardly ideal, the union had given their blessing.

"The positive for us is that we've had four good years of outstanding service from him, two as assistant coach and two as head coach.

"He's left a great legacy behind him particularly in the way he's championed local players and that leaves a solid platform for his replacement, he's a good Northland boy and the doors always open for him."

Parkinson said they would go to the market immediately to look for a replacement with applications closing in three weeks.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Sport

Woodman-Wickliffe breaks try-scoring record in Black Ferns win

31 Aug 05:48 PM
Northern Advocate

Taniwha triumph over Magpies in dramatic NPC clash

31 Aug 01:27 AM
Premium
Northern Advocate

Why climate change will see top NZ golf course close for two months

22 Aug 03:31 AM

Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Woodman-Wickliffe breaks try-scoring record in Black Ferns win
Sport

Woodman-Wickliffe breaks try-scoring record in Black Ferns win

The wing became the first NZ player to score 50 test tries, while young stars shone.

31 Aug 05:48 PM
Taniwha triumph over Magpies in dramatic NPC clash
Northern Advocate

Taniwha triumph over Magpies in dramatic NPC clash

31 Aug 01:27 AM
Premium
Premium
Why climate change will see top NZ golf course close for two months
Northern Advocate

Why climate change will see top NZ golf course close for two months

22 Aug 03:31 AM


Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable
Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP