Rugby: Hammett wards off cold on and off the field

Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett admits to feeling the cold. Photo / Getty Images

Even hardy South Islander Mark Hammett keeps himself well rugged up to ward off the cold. He dons several layers of clothing during training sessions as temperatures plummet in Wellington as he takes on his role of coach of the Hurricanes, a rugby team he inherited on a two-year term.

Hammett's determination to keep warm will stand him in good stead at the helm of a faltering Hurricanes outfit, who head into tomorrow's match in Wellington against the top-of-the-table Reds, an undistinguished 13th in the Super 15 standings, with just two wins from nine outings behind them and a playoffs spot well out of reach.

The former All Blacks hooker's arrival was received warmly by the capital's rugby fraternity although that has cooled somewhat as the Hurricanes have failed to flatter.

Some critics have started to question his appointment, their pens seemingly poisoned by the unexpected success being enjoyed by former Wellington coach Jamie Joseph with the resurgent Highlanders in Dunedin.

Head bowed to deflect another showery blast, Hammett admits to being surprised at the climate change he has experienced since shifting his family out of Christchurch, saying he is still waiting on his wife Tash to warm their marital bed with an electric blanket.

"I'm getting softer as I get older, mate. That's what you get when you live in a houseful of women," said the proud father of two young girls.

Despite the struggles being endured by the Hurricanes, Hammett's chirpy exterior and raucous laugh remain his buffer to the pressure being placed on the team to turn around their fortunes.

For a franchise who have finished no lower than eighth in the previous five Super competitions, and third in 2009, 13th or below is just not good enough.

Not that Hammett is panicking. "While it's been a blimmin difficult year I have no doubt that when we start winning trophies in years to come that we'll look back on this year and say well, that was the start," he said.

Hammett admits to making mistakes in his first gig as head coach after four years as assistant coach at the all powerful Crusaders.

"You do make mistakes but you front up to them and learn from them. There's no doubts there's been some of that this year. You don't hide from that. If you do and become scared of making mistakes you are not going to go forward."

Like other coaches at Super level in the professional era, Hammett has found the role to be all encompassing.

"Even when I was an assistant coach it was a 24/7 for me. That's why I made a good assistant, because I cared as much as if I was heading it up. That is the nature of the job."

He admits to staying awake late at night, thinking of matters rugby while his wife sleeps.

"The better nights are when the ideas are good ones not bad ones," he says, before breaking into an infectious laugh. Hammett's bouncy nature betrays a grim determination to do his very best, an attribute which enabled him to play 29 tests for the All Blacks from 1999 to 2003 and 81 games for the Crusaders.

All Blacks loose forward Victor Vito said Hammett had the support of the players despite his tough initiation. "He is a good guy. He has a lot of good philosophies and he's very much a team man."

"At the moment we are in the same boat together and trying to get back on a winning bandwagon. It hasn't been easy of late obviously but we are right in behind him." Hammett, and others, would appreciate it if the players could show that support by rediscovering some winning form.

- NZPA