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http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1226058524053
INCOMING Brumbies coach Jake White yesterday made his first key appointments, confirming former head coach Laurie Fisher and World Cup-winning five-eighth Steve Larkham as his coaching assistants in 2012.
But with the former Springbok coach intent on running a small, tight-knit coaching unit, one that will speak with one voice to the players, almost certainly there will be no place for two other former players on the coaching staff - lineout boss Justin Harrison and scrum guru Marco Caputo - in the new Brumbies structure to take effect from July 1. Not that White specifically ruled them out. The call, it seems, will be made by Fisher, who will return to Canberra, where he was head coach of the Brumbies from 2005-2008, from a successful stint as Munster's forward coach in the Magners League and Heineken Cup.
"At this point in time, Laurie has been appointed forwards coach and within that framework he has to use whoever he feels is going to add value to the team," White told The Australian yesterday. "I'm not going to be forcing anything on Laurie. He knows what he's good at. He knows what he needs. It will all go through me as head coach, but at the end of the day I don't want to be imposing anything on him. He's got to start with a blank paper."
Since arriving in Australia late on Monday, White has been in a whirlwind of meetings with the Australian Rugby Union, Brumbies staff, Sydney club coaches, current and prospective players, indeed with anyone who might value-add to an organisation mired in its worst ever season.
Arguably the only significant person he has not spoken with yet is incumbent coach Tony Rea.
"I just don't think it's fair for me to be around like Big Brother," White said. "Not that I'm excluding Tony in any way, but obviously he has a campaign and maybe when he's finished I can ask him what he would do differently."
So rushed has it all been, in fact, that when White was asked whether Larkham, who is on staff as the backs coach, had been confirmed in that same role, he initially didn't know how to answer.
"Yep, yep, he is confirmed," White said after a pause. "I haven't had time to meet with him, but there is no reason for him not to be confirmed. Bernie Larkham is a legend in Australia. It's wonderful to have him working with the young backs."
White also confirmed that former Brisbane Broncos fitness expert Dean Benton would be brought in as his strength and conditioning coach.
And then it was on to a meeting over coffee with former Wallabies captain George Gregan who almost certainly will be brought on as a part-time consultant.
White admitted that right from his first interview with the Brumbies, he had made it clear he had no plans of turning Australia's most successful Super Rugby franchise into a clone of a South African club. But if that involves making some adjustments on his part, his timing is perfect because everyone involved in Australian rugby is also having to adjust to the ARU's radical restructuring of the game.
"One of the things that probably suited me is that there are a lot of changes happening in Australian rugby anyway in terms of academy system, in terms of the subtle draft system, in terms of player salary caps, in terms of five franchises now with the Melbourne Rebels up and going. It's a very different environment."