Rugby: Chiefs coach hunt changes focus

There is thought to be interest in Hawke's Bay co-coach Tom Coventry. Photo / Photosport.

Luring old boys back from lucrative offshore posts is proving hard for the Chiefs, who may now view the domestic market as the best place to find their new coach.

Warren Gatland was the first choice, but he turned them down to sign with Wales through to 2015.

With the Welsh reportedly offering £300,000 ($630,000) a season and the Chiefs believed to have stretched to about the $200,000 mark, money was an integral part of the decision.

The same will be true of the other overseas coaches with links to the region - Vern Cotter (Clermont), Tony Hanks (Wasps) and John Mitchell (Lions). While pay discrepancies have been key in the player transfer market, they are arguably a more pronounced problem for coaches.

A head coach of an ITM Cup team can expect to earn $60,000 to $100,000 depending on experience, the union and off-season expectations.

For Super15 coaches, the money jumps to anything from $150,000 to $200,000-plus. By New Zealand standards, it's good money but dwarfed by the basic levels offshore.

A big European club might pay $300,000 to $550,000, maybe even more, for a coach. The market, from a coach's perspective, is further enhanced by the level of ambition and competition.

In England there are a dozen well-financed Premiership clubs and a handful of others in the lower divisions with the desire and ability to pay well for the right people. There are 14 major clubs in France and seemingly endless others that want to rekindle former glories. There are 12 clubs in the Magners League and swathes of national union development jobs, as well as head coaching jobs with lesser nations.

Prising someone out of the foreign market where they have choice, profile and pathways is not easy. Many Kiwi coaches fear they will fall off the radar if they leave Europe. Driving that concern is the lack of certainty around coaching careers. History shows there is little prospect of advancement in New Zealand after Super rugby. Graham Henry, Robbie Deans, Peter Sloane and David Nucifora all headed off-shore after stints with New Zealand Super rugby franchises.

Life for assistant coaches is even tougher - rarely does promotion to the top job materialise. Gatland, Steve Hansen, Joe Schmidt and Cotter all left for offshore posts from assistant Super rugby roles.

Super rugby has become a stepping stone for New Zealand coaches - a gateway to an offshore career, a means for an aspiring coach to prove his worth and gain global recognition. Most experienced New Zealand coaches think they are more likely to land the All Black job from offshore, either with a major club or another international side, than they are from a Super15 post.

The Chiefs still have time to make their appointment (current coach Ian Foster will be in charge for this coming campaign) but the clock is ticking. Ideally they would want the new man confirmed in time to monitor the 2011 season. Of the three high profile coaches offshore, Mitchell signed a two-year deal with the Lions in August, Hanks signed a three-year deal with Wasps in May 2009 and Cotter recently extended his contract with Clermont through to 2012.

Mitchell had an immediate impact in Johannesburg and the Lions wouldn't be in any rush to let him go. Hanks is hugely respected at Wasps and likely to be offered an opportunity to extend his stay and Cotter is effectively out the picture but could theoretically be bought out of his contract.

The inherent difficulties of bringing established coaches home are likely to see the Chiefs work their domestic options that bit harder. There is thought to be interest in Hawke's Bay co-coach Tom Coventry and Wayne Smith has been sounded out but is non-committal. Milton Haig has an intriguing CV and came of age this year and could team up with Tana Umaga as he did so successfully with Counties Manukau.