Andy Friend new Brumbies coach
Good luck to him - he would have been ours if it hadn't been for the Mitch.
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The Brumbies will name Andy Friend as the new coach of the Super 14 rugby team today.
The Brumbies have called a press conference for 3pm (AEST) where chief executive Andrew Fagan will announce the appointment of the club's head coach for 2009.
Friend has coached English club Harlequins for the past three years and was a former Brumbies assistant under Eddie Jones.
He also guided the Australian under-21 team to the final of the 2005 world championships, while previously serving as an assistant at the NSW Waratahs under Ewen McKenzie.
He will replace current coach Laurie Fisher, who is likely to remain with the Brumbies as forwards coach.
The Super 14 side has struggled with injuries this season and is languishing in ninth position.
They are yet to play in the finals since Fisher took over from David Nucifora in 2005.
The Brumbies won their second Super title in 2004, Nucifora's last year in charge, when Fisher was forwards coach.
Andy Friend new Brumbies coach - rugbyheaven.com.au
Andy Friend new Brumbies coach
The ACT Brumbies have appointed Andy Friend as head coach for the next three Super 14 seasons.
The Australian coach of English premiership club Harlequins will take over from Laurie Fisher after this season, Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan said today.
"Andy is an outstanding coach with a tremendous record internationally and we're privileged that he's accepted this role with the Brumbies as head coach,'' Fagan told reporters in Canberra.
"His focus is on very integrated organisation, it's on attacking football, it's on entertaining the fans and he's demonstrated that with the success that he's had with his team.''
Fagan said that the club would hold talks with Fisher about a potential future with the Brumbies.
"Laurie will take some time to reflect and let this news sink in but we do want to speak with him about an ongoing role.''
It has been suggested Fisher will remain at the Brumbies as a forwards coach.
Friend, a former assistant coach with the Brumbies and NSW Waratahs, said he's delighted to be returning home to Canberra.
"It's a tremendous responsibility,'' Friend said in a statement.
"My commitment to our many fans in Australia and around the world is to build on the strong foundations laid by Laurie Fisher and to ensure that the Brumbies continue to play attacking, successful rugby.''
The Brumbies have struggled with injuries this season and are languishing in ninth position.
They are yet to play in the finals since Fisher took over from David Nucifora in 2005.
The Brumbies won their second Super title in 2004, Nucifora's last year in charge, when Fisher was forwards coach.
Andy Friend new Brumbies coach - rugbyheaven.com.au
Tough on Laurie Fisher...only a couple of weeks ago he was saying he would need to look around because he hadn't heard anything from Brumbies management, but his cards have obviously been marked since the start of the season - you don't just hire a coach from the NH side overnight. Hell, you'd almost have say that Link got off lightly by comparison - at least the Waratahs didn't offer to demote him back to assistant coach! If that isn't a clear message from management that don't think you are any sort of head coach, I'm not sure what would be.
