Coaching changes for Canterbury
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Canterbury Head Coach Scott Robertson will have a new coaching team supporting him this season, with Assistant Coaches Jason Holland and Scott Hansen moving into new roles for other teams.
Holland has taken up an offer to become the Hurricanes Backline Coach in 2016 and will leave before this year’s NPC. An appointment to replace him is yet to be made.
Meanwhile, Jason Ryan, who has been the Scrum Coach for the NPC team since 2012, has been promoted to an Assistant Coach role to replace Hansen who is leaving for Leicester.
Robertson thanked Holland and Hansen for the contribution they have made.
"Jason and Scott are both great men who are very talented and hard-working coaches and who I have thoroughly enjoyed working with over the last two years. They have given a lot to this Canterbury environment and we are grateful for their contribution. I know the players will miss them, as will I,” Robertson said.
"It is always sad to see good colleagues go, but it also presents new opportunities. Ryan has earned his promotion to assistant coach and I know that he will do a great job. He has been a part of this environment for a while now and already has the respect of the players, so it should be a relatively smooth transition.”
Canterbury CEO Hamish Riach also congratulated Ryan on the appointment.
"Jason Ryan has done great work with this team as the scrum coach, and his expertise was recognised when he was picked up by the Black Ferns as their scrum coach and analyst for the World Cup last year. He deserves this promotion and we are happy for him," Riach said.
"I would also like to add my thanks on behalf of everyone at Canterbury Rugby to Jason Holland and Scott Hansen for all they have done for this team and organisation. We wish them well."
Jason Holland said he had enjoyed his time with Canterbury and it was not an easy decision to leave.
"It's a fantastic group of people here at Canterbury Rugby and it has been a pleasure working with them all.
"Razor [Scott Robertson] has been excellent to work alongside and I have learnt a lot from both staff and players at Rugby Park.
"However the opportunity to gain Super Rugby coaching experience with a team playing an attacking style of rugby was one I didn't feel I could pass up in the end. I'm sad to leave this great team, but excited about the opportunity ahead.”
Hansen said he felt privileged to have worked with great mentors, coaches, players and people within the Canterbury and Linwood environments and would find it hard to leave.
"I care deeply for these environments and the people within them, but to become the coach and mentor I aspire to be I think this is an opportunity that I need to take for my continued growth.
"The opportunity to develop as a coach and as a person within the Leicester Tigers environment is one I and my family are very excited about.
"I will return to coach in New Zealand long-term and through this experience know that it has helped me become the best coach I can be," Hansen said.
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