The Wallabies and the Brumbies will discuss a job share arrangement for veteran coach Laurie Fisher through to 2023 Rugby World Cup after the long-time ACT mentor was rushed into Dave Rennie’s staff on Friday.
Fisher’s call-up to the Wallabies came after defence coach Matt Taylor left the team last week in a mutually agreed release, to allow the 49-year-old to devote more time to family needs.
The Wallabies announced on Sunday that Fisher, 64, would join the squad as an interim assistant coach for the rest of the Rugby Championship. The Wallabies play South Africa the next two weekends, in Adelaide and Sydney, before playing the All Blacks in Melbourne and Auckland in September.
There has been strong speculation that Australia A coach Jason Gilmore, who is also the Waratahs’ defence coach, was a front-runner to replace Taylor, but sources with knowledge of the situation told the Herald that Fisher is the preferred option through to assume Taylor’s role through to the Rugby World Cup.
The interim nature of the Rugby Championship secondment was due to the sudden departure of Taylor and it is likely a longer-term arrangement with Fisher, covering the Spring Tour and next year’s Test calendar, will be worked through in due course.
The Brumbies are pleased to see Fisher rewarded for his incredibly long service with his first Wallabies position, but are also keen for the valued assistant coach to continue in Canberra during Super Rugby as well next year.
Laurie Fisher has been called up to the Wallabies.Credit:Getty
The precedent for Wallabies coaches and assistants to juggle both is well set, with Michael Cheika having coached both NSW and Australia in 2015, and both Stephen Larkham and Dan McKellar having both juggled duties as Brumbies head coach and as Wallabies assistants in recent years.
Larkham recently returned from Ireland to replace McKellar as head coach of the Brumbies. Fisher was announced as the forwards coach in the new staff, with Rod Seib and Dan Palmer.
“We are very happy to see Laurie get recognised by the Wallabies and will sit down and discuss with Rugby Australia about the longer term,” Brumbies chief executive Phil Thomson said.
“We certainly want to keep Laurie here with us for the Super Rugby season and we will work through all that. He has an outstanding record and he is part of the Brumbies DNA.”
Laurie Fisher has been a highly respected coach in Canberra for over two decades.Credit:Getty
Fisher is a highly respected coach in Australian rugby, and overseas as well, and has been a critical element in the Brumbies being the Australia’s most dominant Super Rugby franchise.
Fisher was the Brumbies’ academy coach from 2000-2003, and was first-team forwards coach when the Brumbies won the 2004 title. He took over as head coach in 2005 and served through to 2008, and later returned as head coach in 2014 as well. After working as head coach of Gloucester between 2014 and 2017, Fisher returned to Canberra where he has held a senior coaching role ever since. Known as “Lord” for his unique look, Fisher’s expertise is in forwards, defence and contact.
His takes on social media about the Wallabies are always insightful and it is a suprise to many Fisher hasn’t held a national role before, beyond a stint as under 21s coach.
“We’re grateful Laurie has been able to join us at such short notice and would also like to thank the Brumbies for their support too,” Rennie said in a statement.
“He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience which will only benefit our playing group ahead of what are going to be extremely tough Test matches in the Rugby Championship.“
Fisher said in the statement: “I’m excited to join the coaching group at the Wallabies and would like to thank Dave for the opportunity. I’m looking forward to getting on the grass this week and contributing to the success of the group moving forward.”
Meanwhile, Eastwood will take on Sydney Uni and Norths will clash with Gordon in the Shute Shield preliminary finals next weekend after two more teams dropped out of the race in an absorbing weekend of semi-finals action.
Gordon rallied from a 10-point deficit at halftime against Randwick and only took the lead in the final minute courtesy of a Jack McGregor try, which was turned into a penalty try courtesy of a high tackle. The Highlanders, who won the comp in 2020, are still the defending premiers due to last year’s season being abandoned.
On Saturday, NSW No.10 Tane Edmed saved the day for Eastwood in a thrilling 32-26 win over Manly at North Sydney Oval by denying the Marlins a potential match-winning try near fulltime, and that came after a flawless eight shots at goal and a try assist.
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