Jamie Joseph ‘miffed’ by All Blacks recruitment process to assess his ‘worthiness’
Jamie Joseph and an inset of ex-All Blacks hooker Dane Coles.
Jamie Joseph has reportedly taken exception to the manner in which New Zealand Rugby is conducting its recruitment process for the next All Blacks head coach.
The Highlanders boss has emerged as a leading candidate to succeed Scott Robertson, along with former Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie.
It has been widely reported that the board will make the final decision on who will be the next All Blacks boss public in the second week of March but in the meantime, a panel continues to assess the experienced coaches.
The appointment panel includes former hookers Dane Coles and Keven Mealamu as well as head of high performance Don Tricker, acting NZR chief executive Steve Lancaster, and chairman David Kirk.
Jamie Joseph ‘miffed’
Part of the process has seen Coles and Lancaster spend time with the Highlanders, overseeing their training session, how Joseph has conducted meetings and so on.
They are set to travel to Japan to do the same with Rennie as his Kobelco Kobe Steelers look to continue their fine start to the season.
While this can be viewed as the board doing its due diligence and conducting a comprehensive review of its options before making a decision, it has come under scrutiny and has reportedly hit a nerve with Joseph.
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“It is understood that Joseph in particular, is miffed that having coached Wellington, the Highlanders, Māori All Blacks and the All Blacks XV as recently as last year, that he is now having observers sit in on his coaching to take notes,” a New Zealand Herald report states.
“He’s thought to be perturbed, too, that his fate will be determined by how well he presents in an interview situation, when he feels his coaching achievements are all known and documented, and by far the better means by which to assess his worthiness.”
This comes after it was reported that both Joseph and Rennie have no appetite to join forces and create a ‘dream coaching team’, a ploy that has been tabled by many pundits and fans – instead, both coaches want the top job.
Additionally, potential assistant coaches won’t need to pledge their allegiance to either candidate which has caused rifts and led to Robertson leaning on a Crusaders-heavy coaching team that lacked international experience when he took charge in 2024.
The likes of Scott Hansen, Jason Ryan, Tamati Ellison, and Bryn Evans remain employed by New Zealand Rugby and Kirk has confirmed that whoever takes on the head coach role will be able to decide whether they are retained or new staff is brought in.
Stark contrast to football clubs
Rennie last coached in New Zealand back in 2017 and has since gone on to work with Glasgow Warriors, Australia and now Kobe. However, prior to that, he coached the likes of Manawatu, Wellington and New Zealand U20s and the Chiefs, where he won back-to-back Super Rugby titles.
“Like Joseph, he must be wondering why NZR is scrambling to gather intelligence and still putting its faith in face-to-face interviews as the best way to make coaching appointments,” Gregor Paul added in his Herald column.
“It feels not only archaic but a gross malfunction in what is supposed to be a world-leading high-performance programme.”
Paul argues that the football clubs have ‘in-depth knowledge of coaches scattered over the globe’ which means that when they change their manages, they already have their top candidate in mind.
Some that Kirk admitted was not the case when NZ Rugby parted ways with Robertson, this ‘was an indictment on their entire elite rugby development system’ according to the writer.