South Canterbury rugby nabs Ponsonby coach

Ponsonby coach Simon Scott has been named to take charge of the South Canterbury Heartland rugby side for the next two years.

Scott beat five other contenders for the job including incumbent Ken Wills.

Scott, 41, has chosen to have South Canterbury development and sevens coach Chester Scott as his assistant. Scott has been involved in coaching for a decade, originally in Dunedin and then in Auckland.

He has coached Ponsonby premiers to the Gallaher Shield, the supremacy of Auckland club rugby for the past three years and was also involved in coaching the Auckland under-20 side this season.

Scott was delighted to be appointed after the opportunity arose to throw his name in the hat.

He would like to move into a full-time coaching role, but said he was focused on South Canterbury for the next two years.

"You've got to do the best in every position you work in and I'm really keen to give my all to South Canterbury rugby.

"My focus will certainly be to try and win the Meads Cup."

Scott was a detective inspector with the Auckland police, but has resigned and was moving his family south. He has bought the South Island franchise for a quick service restaurant, Pita Pit, which is based around the Lebanese bread from which it takes its name.

Scott will live in Christchurch but intends to base himself in Timaru, where he has strong family ties, for the Heartland campaign and travel each week to watch club rugby.

Having taken Chester Scott on as his assistant will also give him a strong background in the players available and their strengths and weaknesses.

They pair have yet to decide on their management team.

SCRU chairman Stephen McFarlane said there was nothing to be read into the delay into the appointment other than they had difficulty getting the board together.

McFarlane said the board unanimously accepted the recommendation of the appointment panel, which was made up of Grant Proudfoot, Dave Callon (Otago) and Steve Lancaster (Canterbury).

Scott has accepted the two-year appointment, with a review at the end of the first year, he said.

"The appointment is a homecoming for Simon, who is a former South Canterbury resident and player, and who has significant close family living in this region."

McFarlane said Scott wished to pursue business interests alongside his rugby career and, as a result, was likely to base his family in Christchurch, which was fine with them.

"Simon is expecting to spend significant time in South Canterbury, both prior to and during the Heartland season."

McFarlane also paid tribute to former coaches Ken Wills and Barry Fairbrother. "They have made a significant contribution to South Canterbury rugby over the last two years culminating in a narrow loss in the semi-final of the Meads Cup in 2009", he said.

"My involvement with the team highlighted to me the total passion and commitment that Ken, Barry and their management team bought to representing South Canterbury rugby and we could not have asked any more of them. It is simply unfortunate that, while interviewing strongly, they were not able to gain the recommendation of the appointment panel.

However, McFarlane said the board needed to recognise and acknowledge the significant contribution they have made and express the hope that they remain available to South Canterbury rugby in the future.

Wills, however, has made no secret of his desire to continue coaching at a high level so is likely to look at other options.

- © Fairfax NZ News