Moving on: Ewen McKenzie
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Reds director of coaching Ewen McKenzie is to move on at the end of the season to pursue an international level coaching dream.
This decision adds weight to speculation McKenzie is in line for the Wallabies job, with current head coach Robbie Deans contracted until the end of the year.
"My experience at the Reds and with Queensland Rugby will be something I'll always treasure but I feel the time is right to pursue new coaching challenges outside of Super Rugby," McKenzie said.
"Anyone who knows me understands I have strong coaching ambitions and, after spending nine years coaching at a Super Rugby level, I'm excited about pursuing a different role either here or overseas.
"It was an extremely tough decision to make as I'll leave here at the end of the season with many great memories. But, I also feel the organisation is in a strong position to move forward and continue its success in future seasons.
"Knowing that the Rugby program is in a position of strength for the future does make the decision slightly easier as you know the culture and structures are in the right place.
"Having clarity for the future is also a positive for the organisation, the staff and the team and we can now move forward and focus on winning another championship this year."
During the recent off-season the Reds brought in Richard Graham, who joined from the Western Force as head coach. That subsequently means the Queensland franchise possess a ready-made replacement for the outgoing McKenzie.
News of McKenzie's departure at the end of the season will not only interest those in the southern hemisphere as Six Nations outfits may also be keeping tabs on his situation.
Comments
Wallaroo says...
@murph lol, mate I sometimes throw things in just to wind up Trinats (more a NSW / QLD rivalry thing) albeit I actually like him and we often complement each other. Although I don't know why there is still rivalry our NRL and RU teams are simply useless. Only good thing about watching state of origin with a Qlder is the amount of rum and beer they buy you out of pity.
Posted 05:39 22nd March 2013
Trinats2 says...
Trader2
If no one cared in 2011, why did the Crusaders risk ALL of their ABs in the final ?
Mate, sometimes it's just best to keep your mouth shut and look like a drop kick, rather than open it and confirming everyones suspicions !!!
Link is a very good coach, he could even get NZ to win a world cup without the ref in the pocket and away from home !!!
Posted 09:59 20th March 2013
brands says...
I hears he was sick of Cooper nickin his lunch, just sayin!
Posted 05:50 20th March 2013
Trader2 says...
Not sure about all the excitement about Mckenzie, made no impression with the Tah's (mind you who can), Stade Francais who knows what went on there, won the 2011 Super championship when no one cared and fell in a heap since. I think the Wannabies could be a step too far for him. Deans has done wonders with no talent and Jake White has won a world cup and built a Brumbies outfit that even now is the (and was last year) best team in Oz. As far as Dingo is concerned well Oz will never know how lucky they have been having him, imagine what it could have been like last year, anyway time he went home and got some players with some ability to work with.
Posted 01:54 20th March 2013
Trinats2 says...
Wallaroo:
Link took over a team that was bottom of the ladder, and introduced youngsters and in a couple of years finished 5th, just missing out on the play offs and then eventually wining the S15. Finished top of the Aus conf dispite all their injuries. Also coached your Tahs and took them to a few semis and a final !
White has had a good few weeks and everyone is saying they are going to win the S15, there is a long way to go.
His World Cup win was thanks to Eddie Jones and prior to Eddie helping out, South Africa finished bottom of the try nations again. They also won the World Cup without playing the top four or five teams above them in the world rankings.
Dont get me wrong, White and fisher are doing a great job at the Brumbies and I hope they go well all season. But white has won in SA ( they are always bottom of tri nations) McKenzie has won last 9 out of 10 against kiwi opposition (they are ranked no1! )
for me there is only one person that should be Wallaby coach, and he should have taken over last year. Then again I'm just a one eyed banana bender from the republic of Qld !!!
Posted 14:53 19th March 2013
murph says...
Link built a team on highly rated sought after talent???
Er, I don't think so. The Reds had lost Barnes, McMeniman and Moore, and had missed out on signing Elsom and O'Connor through atrocious management. Link drafted in unfancied players like the Faaingas, Laurie Weeks, Van Humphries, Rod Davies, Dan Braid, Beau Robinson, Higginbotham etc i.e. men he could work with. He recognised Genia's talent and gave him a regular place - despite the propaganda spouted by the ARU that Dingo Deans magically discovered Genia (along with Beale, Pocock and O'Connor). He elevated Horwill to captain; something which took Deans about 4 years and 60 tests to work out.
He has an eye for talent and an ability to pick a team to win against a given opposition; as opposed to Deans who just picks whoever was picked last week or whoever's had three decent games for the Waratahs.
I don't disagree with you that Jake White has done wonders with the Brumbies. The thing that White and Link have in common is that they pick on form, not reputation, and they don't put up with big heads that they can't manage, they show them the door.
Posted 13:44 19th March 2013
Wallaroo says...
@Fatflanker wise words. Definitely presents a serious dilemma for the ARU.
@ logophile, agree with you 100%. What White has done with the Brumbies is astounding. On Saturday it was the Sharks that looked like they had crossed the Indian ocean not the Brumbies.
@Trinats, surely what is best for the Wallabies has to be the most important thing in your mind, more important than the Reds by a long shot. I really do not understand Australians that put their state above the country. You are an Australian first and a Queenslander second, I am definitely an Aussie first and foremost.
Ponder this: Link built a team on highly rated sought after talent a team which has lived up to potential to some degree. Jake White built a team mainly made up of spluttering discards which have exceeded all expectations and stopped most Aussies in their tracks. If both were Aussie which would you pick? Hopefully the one that's best for the Wallabies.
Posted 11:23 19th March 2013
Fatflanker says...
Link has been positioning himself for this move for a while however there is no doubt Jake has emerged as serious competition. Way too early to write off Deans who nonetheless will be sweating on a solid Lions series. Hopefully this year he gets a reasonably full complement of fit players.
I can't see either of the others having the patience to hang around for another 2 years (post-RWC) if Deans is retained. Oz rugby can't afford to lose any of them at the moment - serious dilemma.
Posted 09:46 19th March 2013
Irishzimbabwean says...
logophile - totally agree with you. The way the Brumbies demolished the Sharks on Saturday in Durban was outsanding - with no obvious star players. If Australia don't want him - then Ireland must snap him up!
Posted 07:48 19th March 2013
amfas says...
@ logophile. Couldn't agree more. A fantastic coach and if he can pick the Wallabies up in similar fashion to what he has achieved with the Brumbies then Australian rugby maybe back in the fray in years to come!!!
Posted 07:25 19th March 2013
s15rules says...
Trinats lol more like a rat desserting a sinking ship, I hope he gets the wallaby job just to prove how good he isnt!
And to see if he still picks quade blooper
Posted 07:17 19th March 2013
Startledwombat says...
Fiji have been struggling and could do with a fillip.
Posted 07:01 19th March 2013
rugbyphile says...
Richard Graham is already leaving his mark on the Reds--good luck to them
Posted 04:16 19th March 2013
ferdie says...
another consideration that may have prompted this announcement, is that on Saturday Brumbies coach Jake White said he had ¿unfinished international business¿, and wanted to coach the Wallabies.
Maybe McKenzie realises even if Deans were to go then he'd still not be the ARU choice?
Posted 03:53 19th March 2013
ferdie says...
maybe he just watched replays of the Reds matches v Brumbies and Force, time to run before his reputation goes altogether.
Posted 03:13 19th March 2013
Ramage says...
Reds on the wane, Mckenzie off. Bring on Graham to make the demise complete.
Posted 01:56 19th March 2013
mew2000 says...
Actually I wouldn't mind ewen taking the aussie job for when the hard times hit aussie rugby again they can't blame the kiwi in charge.... I seem to remember the aussie's complaining about ewen when he was in charge of the waratahs so let see what happens... Maybe deans would be better of coaching one of the northern teams.... What is up with the northern teams this year?
England started of good and went down hill what happened there? Ego got too big for them did it? ?Yes you beat the abs like you do very 3-4 years but to play like you do lately ???? With the players and resources england should be the dominant force in the north ! IS it the standard of coaches or just the ball skills some players can't pick up like the south?
Posted 22:29 18th March 2013
Trinats2 says...
Link has developed this very young side into champions in a short period. The systems are in place and the squad (when they are fit) will push for their second S15 title and more.
Link is a shoe in for the Wallabies job.
Posted 21:44 18th March 2013
Trader2 says...
Abandon ship
Posted 20:38 18th March 2013
logophile says...
Although I understand Australians wanting an Aussie coach, but Jake White is the proving himself one of the best coaches of the modern game.
Posted 15:34 18th March 2013