Shock exit of Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson leaves questions hanging over decision makers
Last year, Waratahs boss Andrew Hore had the option of promoting Simon Cron as head coach. He instead chose to give Daryl Gibson an extension. It’s a decision they could well regret.
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Daryl Gibson’s shock resignation as Waratahs coach may have exposed one of the great administrative blunders in NSW rugby history.
Last year, Waratahs boss Andrew Hore had the option of promoting assistant Simon Cron as head coach. Cron is regarded by most of the playing group as the most talented coach in the country.
Hore instead chose to give Gibson an extension through to the end of 2020.
Cron then got approached to be head coach of Japanese club Toyota Verblitz, working underneath All Blacks Steve Hansen, such is his regard in wider rugby circles.
Hore stuck firm with Gibson, so Cron signed with Toyota.
But less than two months later, Gibson quit after failing to make the Super Rugby finals, and seeing numerous Wallaby stars including Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps and Sekope Kepu sign for overseas clubs.
It leaves NSW chasing a new coach for 2020; among the candidates are England’s Australian attack coach Scott Wisemantel, Scotland’s defence coach Matt Taylor, Fiji’s national coach John McKee, former Springboks World Cup-winning coach Jake White, while Gibson’s assistants Chris Whittaker and Steve Tandy will be in the mix but unlikely to be considered head coach material just yet.
Hore suggested Cron’s deal in Japan was too much to match, saying he could not have done more to keep him.
“No, I felt we’d been very clear there, it is what it is, you can only afford what you can afford,” Hore said.
“The package can only be the package and people have to make decisions in life.”
Hore added of his decision to choose Gibson over Cron: “At the end of the day it’s just like a player, sometimes you keep an experienced campaigner there and let the younger person come through.
“We felt that we were trying to our best for the organisation and for the individuals concerned at that time, and out of that comes the situation we’re in today.
“That happens, it’s not the first or last time a sporting organisation – you’ve got to flip it over, it’s still a wonderful opportunity because we have got systems and structures in place that are developing talent.
“So whoever gets the role is going to have a wonderful opportunity to take things forward.”
Wisemantel is England’s attack coach under Eddie Jones, but had been linked to the
Wallabies’ attack role which has now been given to Shaun Berne.
Taylor is another Aussie abroad who is highly rated in local circles, as is McKee, who is off contract with Fiji after the World Cup finishing in November.
Former All Black Gibson, now looking for a new job, revealed he’d had “a change of heart” about the job despite fighting hard to stay at the helm last year.
“It’s clear we are entering a new cycle in NSW rugby, we’ve got this wave of young, vibrant talent, some real gold nuggets, coming through in the next three or four years,” said Gibson, who had just 28 wins from 64 matches as head coach.
“It’s time for another coach to take them on that journey, I’m a one-year prospect and I believe another coach needs to own that.
“It’s time for a new voice and a new direction.”
Originally published as Shock exit of Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson leaves questions hanging over decision makers
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