TAI L AVEA –
mastering disaster Due to the pandemic, New Zealand’s provincial rugby competition is featuring All Blacks for the first time in many years; however, whether or not the competition will be cut short remains to be seen. And yet, in these uncertain times one thing that’s as close to a sure thing as sport can ever provide is – the Steelers’ new head coach is not playing to lose, as JON RAWLINSON discovered.
The 2020 rugby season has not gone according to plan for anyone, nor did the Steelers’ 2019 Mitre 10 Cup campaign. Relegated from the Premiership last year, the squad will have to win the Championship in order to return to the top echelon of New Zealand provincial rugby. “I saw [relegation] as a positive, a challenge,” new Steelers’ head coach, Tai Lavea, says. “When I saw there was an opportunity to become head coach here I put my hat in the ring. I had coached the Counties Under 19s previously so I had connections here. I didn’t think I’d have a chance so I just tried my luck really.” Despite a slow start, along with a new CEO (Aaron Lawton), Tai appears set to help ensure his players revive past glories. A little help from a few men in black – including Kieran Read – couldn’t hurt either! “My job is to set up a programme which will lead, hopefully, to long term success. First and foremost, we need to re-engage with the community, we’re Tai Lavea Richard Spranger, courtesy of Counties 10 | south | october 2020 Manukau RFU
looking to select [more] local players and rebuild. I’ve inherited 20 players; there are a lot of good men [already] in the mix, I want to add to that with the players we’ll contract,” he says. “There’s a lot of groundwork to be done. Winning will be a by-product of setting all that in place. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t coach to lose and I hate losing, but you have to have the right processes in place first.” Tai is no stranger to helping teams reverse flagging fortunes. In 2017, Auckland came close to relegation in the Mitre 10 Cup – only an upset by Bay of Plenty over Waikato saved Auckland from this fate. The following season, he joined Auckland as an assistant to (then) newly-appointed head coach, Alama Ieremia. “It was a huge step up for me [and] I learned a lot working with a coaching team which [also] included Graham Henry and Filo Tiatia. There had been so much disappointment from the previous season but the players, as well as the coaches, were all hugely motivated to earn the respect of the Auckland community.” Motivation paid off – Auckland won the 2018 Premiership. www.southmagazine.co.nz
