AUCKLAND – Sir John Kirwan has stepped down as Blues coach after the Auckland-based franchise registered their worst ever Super Rugby Season under the 63 test veteran.
With successful coaching stints in Italy and Japan before taking the helm at the Blues, Kirwan was thought to be the home-coming prince to take the Blues to glory after their miserable tenure under Pat Lam who now coaches at Connacht.
However with some poor choices that included recruiting Benji Marshall in 2014 on a big pay packet salary before consigning him to the bench as well as some questionable 2015 recruits like former All Black Jimmy Cowan not to mention the Blues recording just three wins in this year’s Super Rugby Championship, Kirwan’s grip on the Blues’ coaching slot became untenable.
Appearing at a press conference in Auckland Friday morning, Kirwan affirmed his love for the club but understood that professional rugby was a “results-based industry”. He also endorsed former All Black legend Tana Umaga as his successor.
Umaga, who played 74 tests for the All Blacks in between 1997 and 2005, has been rumoured to have applied for the position after dabbling in coaching with the ITM Cup’s Counties Manukau team.