Black Ferns head coach Allan Bunting. Photo / Photosport
Black Ferns head coach Allan Bunting. Photo / Photosport
New Zealand Rugby is hopeful a focus on individual growth of the country’s female coaches will lead to more opportunities at the top level, following the selection of an all-male team to lead the Black Ferns’ new era.
An experienced team of Tony Christie, Steve Jackson and MikeDelany have been announced as Allan Bunting’s assistants with the women’s national team, with former assistants Whitney Hansen and Wes Clarke moving into new roles within the NZR coaching ranks.
Hansen, who was part of the World Cup-winning coaching staff, is taking over as head of rugby of the Matatū Super Rugby Aupiki team for the 2024 season. Hansen will become the third female in one of the top jobs across the competition, alongside Victoria Grant (Hurricanes) and Crystal Kaua (Chiefs).
“In New Zealand Rugby that’s a big focus of them, around providing those opportunities and there are currently programmes in there and there’s some amazing female coaches in our game,” Christie told Newstalk ZB.
“I’ve been really lucky to work with Whitney Hansen and the opportunity that she has to lead a programme [as] Matatū head of rugby is awesome for her because she’s going to be a coach that changes the way that the game’s played in the future and has that all-around skill set to be a head coach.
“While some people might think it’s a step sideways, I think that’s going to really set her up for success to be the world-leading coach that she has the ability to be.”
Whitney Hansen will take over as Matatū's head of rugby next year. Photo / Photosport
Last week, a strategy launched by NZR indicated a 10-year target to increase the number of women from 9.3 per cent to 20 per cent of people in the coaching pathways.
But in picking an all-male team as the best candidates for the Black Ferns, it is an indication from NZR they don’t have faith in the country’s top female coaches to make the next step at this moment.
A statement from NZR’s head of professional rugby Chris Lendrum in the coaching announcement echoed that thought, as he said NZR was focused on the development of leading female coaches to ensure their future success.
“Individual growth of our coaches continues to be a focus for New Zealand Rugby. We are supporting the opportunity for Whitney to develop as a programme leader, with her recent appointment as the Matatū head of rugby.
“Our ambition is to continue to support the growth and development of our leading female coaches and provide them with the opportunities to gain further experience and be in a position to be competing for roles for our teams in black in the future.”
Christie is no stranger to the women’s rugby environment as he helped guide Matatū to the Super Rugby Aupiki title this year, while Delany joins the Black Ferns on the back of a successful run at the helm of the Bay of Plenty men’s NPC team, and Jackson is a former Manu Samoa and North Harbour head coach.
Black Ferns head coach Bunting said the level of coaches interested in joining the team was hugely exciting for the game.
“We are fortunate to have such an abundance of quality coaches putting their hands up to coach the Black Ferns, which is hugely exciting for our women’s game,” he said.
“The trio of coaches we have had the privilege of appointing are all committed to enhancing the Black Ferns legacy. Each will assist in allowing our players to play a brand of rugby unique to the Black Ferns, through their passion, innovation, and abundance of knowledge.”
