Woodward prepared to help steer the Blues' backline

Northland coach  Bryce Woodward will apply for the Blues' assistant coaching position and, if successful, he doesn't see the job affecting his position with the Taniwha for this year's ITM Cup.
The Blues franchise are expected to advertise current assistant coach Shane Howarth's job sometime this week. The specialist backline role would suit Woodward, particularly with his current knowledge of the Blues set-up after he coached the Blues development team this season.
"Obviously, the Blues are determined to raise their standards and they're going to look for the best man for the job. I have no idea how to rate my chances but I'd be disappointed if I didn't get an interview at least," he said.
But Woodward believes if he was to land the plum coaching position, he would be able to complete his contract with the Northland Rugby Union.
"I think a head [Super rugby] coach would struggle to coach a provincial side while an assistant could probably carry on coaching until the job comes into effect," he said.
A lot will obviously depend on the quality of the applicants and despite media reports over the weekend linking All Blacks back coach Wayne Smith to the job - Woodward was fairly sure that was just speculation.
"I think he's made it pretty clear that it doesn't suit him - he lives in Christchurch - and I think he's more interested in helping out behind the scenes, rather than coaching week in week out," he said.
Woodward wasn't surprised to hear that Howarth's position would be advertised this week after the 2010 season review process was completed.
"I knew that he had struggled with his review last year and while there was improvement this year, it still wasn't as good as it could have been," he said.
Howarth has been encouraged to re-apply for the position but Woodward said the process of advertising the position is anything but a paper exercise.
"Last year, the recommendation by the review committee was that the position should be advertised - but it wasn't, so this year they are advertising so I don't think it's smoke and mirrors here. I think the job is genuinely up for grabs," he said.
The role would be a challenge for the Northland coach,  whose contract with the NRU runs until the end of the 2010 season.
"It's not just about the performance of the team, it's all the work around the development of players and the analysis and everything else they do over the course of the year. It's a full-on job," he said.