RUGBY: US Teams Doing The Coaching Shuffle

Coaching is often a thankless job and is certainly one of the more tenuous roles in rugby with the unrelenting pressure to get results. In the U.S., it’s no different to anywhere else for that matter, especially in this new millennium with much more at stake, so the search is constantly on to find the winning formula, coaches included.

Many of the 16 Super League teams will be coached by new personnel, many of whom will be stepping up to the premier level for the first time. In the Western Conference, clubs including past champions Denver and Belmont Shore, along with perennial contenders OMBAC and the newly amalgamated San Francisco Golden Gate teams, will all have new coaches next year.

Los Angeles-based club Belmont Shore, which went from the near the top in 1999 to near the bottom in 2000, has replaced Geoff Crawford with fellow New Zealander Rex George. The former Maori All Black has been coaching alongside Buck Shelford at North Harbour. Prior to that, he was the assistant coach at Bay of Plenty following 10 years as a player there.

Further south in San Diego an improving OMBAC is looking to replace its kiwi coach Joe Leota, however, its situation isn’t quite as acute as others because director of coaching Bing Dawson was the head coach in the past and can assume that role again if necessary. Meantime, Australian Richard Leslie takes over from Ken Going in San Francisco and in Denver’s case this year’s player/coach Juan Grobler, who was under .500 on the season, gives way to new head coach Mark Bullock.

Over in the Eastern Conference things aren’t much different with at least two teams, Washington and Philadelphia-Whitemarsh, also getting in on the coaching shuffle. Wayne Howe, former head coach of a winless Washington, has moved on allowing assistant coach Mitch Bernstein to step up, while Ron McCready will continue as the assistant head coach. Bernstein played his college rugby at Virginia Tech and then joined Maryland Old Boys before coaching at the University of Maryland and later at Maryland Exiles.

It’s understood that the head coaching job at Philadelphia-Whitemarsh, a club with just one win this past season, has yet to be finalised for 2001.

Among the few givens in the east are Chuck Donigian embarking on yet another season with Old Blue New York, because some things never change, and Mel Smith staying on with 2000 Super League champions Life College because as the saying goes “if ain’t broke don’t fix it.”

And in the windy city, the Chicago Lions coming off their first ever winning season in Super League are sticking to the same formula that got them there. Head coach Paul Vercoe has signed on through the end of the 2001 season.

The coaching shuffle is not just limited to the RSL though as other clubs around the country find themselves in the same boat. In southern California the Huntington Beach Unicorns are searching for a new mentor, as is rival First Division club Back Bay.

Back Bay’s chief administrator Ed Burlingham says his club’s preference is to opt for home grown talent. “We think it’s good for US rugby if we can develop coaches and managers at the grassroots level, plus it’s a bonus for our club. I believe that we don’t necessarily need professional coaches from other countries because we have people such as high school football coaches who have the makings to become good rugby coaches.

“The other point is that Back Bay doesn’t have a big money person or wealthy patron to fall back on anyway so we’re in a catch 22 situation. Even if we wanted to bring in someone from overseas we couldn’t afford to, so we need to find someone who can work within our means.”

In Back Bay’s case, if the search proves fruitless Burlingham says he’ll probably assume the coaching duties again as he has in the past.

Even though this is the United States, a country in which rugby has yet to go fully professional, make no mistake, teams want to win and the pressure is on coaches to produce results.