Waratahs chief executive Paul Doorn says a decision on head coach Darren Coleman’s future beyond this year won’t be made until after the Super Rugby Pacific season, following a review into the program by Rugby Australia.
Coleman, who is in the third and final year of his contract, has been seeking clarity from officials since the start of the season but says he is grateful that RA and the Waratahs will allow him to coach the team’s remaining five games after what he described as a “stressful” period.
Coleman was initially told he’d know by late March if a contract extension was on the table.
The Waratahs have won two of their nine matches this season, which has them in 11th spot on a 12-team ladder.
A thrilling 43-40 extra-time win over the Crusaders a fortnight ago breathed life into the Waratahs’ season, before a 38-22 defeat to the Chiefs on Friday night that came after a bye week.
The Waratahs are only three competition points behind the Highlanders in eighth place and could still play finals if they can get on a decent run over the next month.
Waratahs head coach Darren Coleman.Credit: Getty
RA has conducted a preliminary review into the Waratahs program and provided Coleman with “feedback”. Doorn would not elaborate on what the feedback entailed but said it would be up to the coach to “respond” in the coming weeks.
In February, Coleman and his Waratahs bosses agreed it was in the best interest of both parties to have a resolution on his future early in the season.
However, that preferred timeline has been delayed. The Waratahs are now owned by RA.
Coleman presented to the Waratahs board in the bye week and was told his job is safe for now.
“The NSW Waratahs will make a decision regarding a possible extension of Darren Coleman’s head coach contract at the end of the Super Rugby Season,” Doorn told this masthead.
“Darren is in his third year of his three-year contract. The head coach performance review process has been extensive and Darren now has an opportunity to respond to the feedback generated throughout the process.”
Coleman said he would take the feedback on board and acknowledged that staying on is a more favourable option than being sacked mid-season.
“They’ve given me until the end of the season … and they will reassess at the end and make their decision,” Coleman told this masthead.
“I’m looking at those things they’ve asked me to work on and obviously results are part of that as well. It’s important the team is performing to a certain level.
Waratahs chief executive Paul Doorn and Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh.Credit: Getty
“I appreciate that RA and the Tahs have invested in trying to make me better. One option they could have taken after the review is saying, ‘you’re gone’. It’s more than fair.
“Whether they retain me or don’t, I’ll finish this year a way better coach and always appreciative of the opportunity to coach my state.
“Sometimes you’ve got to have some rough times to figure out your way through them. Although it is stressful and has been heart-aching with the results, I think every coach at some point goes through that and I’ve had a good run prior to the past year.
“I’ve got to be mentally strong enough to improve and figure my way out of it.”
A decision on the future of Waratahs assistants Jason Gilmore, Chris Whitaker and Pauli Taumoepeau – all three are coming off contract – will also have to wait until the end of the season.
The Waratahs have five matches remaining in the regular season. They will square off against the Hurricanes on Friday in Wellington before fixtures against the Brumbies (home), Western Force (away), Moana Pasifika (away) and Queensland Reds (home). The Reds game is on May 31 at Allianz Stadium.
NSW players have been eager to know who will coach the team next year but, like Coleman, will have to wait.
Coleman says it had not impacted the franchise’s ability to sign players for next season.
“It hasn’t really slowed us up,” Coleman said. “Ben Whitaker [from Rugby Australia] has taken over a good portion of the recruitment stuff. We’re pushing on with recruitment whether I am there or not. I’ll have an input into it.
“At this stage, we haven’t lost any players in the recruitment or retention process because they don’t know who the coach is. At this stage, it’s not causing any issues.”
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