Already considered a problem child by New Zealand Rugby, the Blues' latest plan to solve their coaching crisis by appointing Tana Umaga could put the national body in an even more awkward position.
As revealed in the Weekend Herald, Umaga has been approached about a job at the troubled franchise, which has just finished its worst ever season - one that reaped only three victories. He is said to be interested, but is, not surprisingly, concerned at how he fits into the equation, and in particular what role current head coach John Kirwan will have.
New Zealand Rugby will consider former All Black captain Umaga a prize asset as a coach for the work he has done at Counties and in his current role as an New Zealand under-20s assistant. They will want to keep him happy and probably privately wish that Kirwan resigns after three years at the helm to allow Umaga to take over for a fresh start.
In the old days before the private investment model, they could have effectively forced the Blues to sack Kirwan, just as they convinced the Hurricanes board to sign Mark Hammett as head coach after he stated his intention to leave the Crusaders for the Rebels. But now with Murray Bolton investing his own funds to lease a licence at the Blues, which allows him to have a say in all decisions at board level, NZR must take a much more diplomatic line. The bottom line is that Bolton wants Kirwan to stay.
Even though NZR must sign off on all coaching and playing appointments, it can't tell the Blues what to do. It's an awkward situation, an extension of the problems caused by a board split over Kirwan's future.
