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Nucifora's Wallabies hopes in NZ hands
By RUPERT GUINNESS - SMH | Thursday, 06 December 2007
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4314254a1823.html
David Nucifora believes he wouldn't have any problem keeping one foot on either side of the Tasman if he is appointed the next Wallabies coach - but he admits the experience would be "interesting".
That's because Nucifora still wants to coach the Blues in next year's Super 14, even if he gets the Wallabies job.
"It's not too tricky ... it would be interesting … yeah," said Nucifora after a Sanzar practical session at Coogee Oval on the Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) to be used in the 2008 tournament.
If Nucifora does get the nod from the Australian Rugby Union over Ewen McKenzie, Alan Jones, Laurie Fisher and John Muggleton - and possibly Robbie Deans - he will still need the support of the New Zealand Rugby Union, having signed a new two-year contract with the NZRU in June to stay at the Blues.
The ARU has stated that if the candidate it unveils - potentially after next Friday's ARU board meeting in Sydney - is a Super 14 coach, he will be allowed to continue his Super 14 commitments.
"The Blues are keen for me to stay. The ARU have said they are happy, if a Super 14 coach gets the job, [for them] to do their job. I am happy to do that," Nucifora said.
"It will be up to the New Zealand Rugby Union to ultimately make the decision because they are my employer."
The former Wallabies hooker also offered his best wishes to potentially one of his main rivals for the Australian coaching job - Deans, the New Zealand coach of the Canterbury Crusaders. Naturally, his support was not for Deans securing the Wallabies job, but the All Blacks head coach position. Deans will be interviewed for that post today, along with with Graham Henry, Colin Cooper and Ian Foster.
"I hope he does go well. You admire people who have been successful and he has been incredibly successful," Nucifora said.
"If that is the job he wants, I think he will present himself well."
But if Deans is named Wallabies coach, he would not begrudge him.
"I'm a professional coach. They will make their decision on what they think is the best thing for Australian rugby," he said.
Nucifora also spoke of how much he wanted the job.
"It means a great deal to me, to be honest," he said. "You want to constantly test yourself at the highest level in whatever you do.
"That is what most of us play and coach for. We like the competition. We like to compete at the highest level and like to test ourselves as players and coaches."
He would not elaborate on his plan for the Wallabies other than to say: "The teams I have been involved in have played a fairly open, attractive brand of football. I don't really see a need to go away from that."
As for the possibility of coaching players from the Brumbies, where his controversial departure in 2004 was the result of player power, Nucifora said he would welcome the opportunity.
Most of the Brumbies who played under Nucifora were in the early stages of their careers then and not involved in his shock axing. They include Wallabies Stirling Mortlock, Mark Chisholm, Mark Gerrard, Matt Giteau, Nic Henderson, Matt Henjak, Clyde Rathbone, Guy Shepherdson and George Smith.
"I don't think there is anything to clear. A lot of those players I still see around the traps obviously," he said.
"A lot of those boys were just starting their career in my last year at the Brumbies. A lot of them have done very well since that time as well. It will be quite nice to catch up and have something to do with them again."