Canterbury bolster coaching team
Former Crusaders player Joe Maddock has been appointed assitant coach for Canterbury ahead of this year's NPC.
Maddock was previously the assistant coach at both the Canterbury U19 and Crusader Knights teams. He is also the head coach for the Prebbleton Division 1 team and provides position-specific coaching for the Crusaders Academy.
Canterbury Rugby CEO Hamish Riach says Maddock has been proving his ability as a coach with these various teams, and his experience has set him up well for this role.
“We have been impressed with the work that Joe has been doing with some of our younger players here in his coaching roles. He has a great manner with the players and we know he has some fantastic skills to impart from his time as a player.”
Maddock is a former outside back who began his professional rugby career with the Canterbury Rugby team in 2001. He then debuted for both the Crusaders and the New Zealand Maori team in 2002.
He left New Zealand in 2004 to play for Bath Rugby Club and completed his overseas playing experience with a stint at Treviso and at Saracens, while also picking up some coaching experience as sssistant coach at Berkhamsted School in England. Since returning to New Zealand in 2013 he has been focussed on his coaching.
Maddock says he is looking forward to this next step in his coaching career: “I am Canterbury born and bred and I loved my playing days here, so to return to the Canterbury Rugby team in a coaching capacity is a huge honour. I am passionate about Canterbury Rugby and can’t wait to make a positive contribution here in this role.”
Canterbury Head Coach Scott Robertson says he believes Maddock’s skills and personality will complement his own well.
“It is an advantage to already know Joe well from our playing days together. I respect and admire both his rugby skills and his positive attitude, and I am looking forward to working alongside him to make this Canterbury team the best it can be.
"I am excited to have a great new coaching team with Maddock, John Haggart and Jason Ryan, and the four of us can’t wait to get stuck into the upcoming campaign,” Robertson said.
