Why the Warringah Rats will have a new coach next season ... and who it is
Warringah Rats president Phil Parsons has revealed why Mark Gerrard won’t coach the team next season as another club stalwart takes over for 2020.
Manly
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WARRINGAH Rats president Phil Parsons says Mark Gerrard was such a high quality coach they were unable to keep him at the club for next season’s Shute Shield competition.
In a big surprise, the former Wallaby and Rats stalwart will not back up as head coach in 2020 after guiding the team into their third consecutive grand final and being named Shute Shield coach of the year in his first season.
He has been replaced by another loyal Warringah man Michael Ruthven, who was one of Gerrard’s assistant coaches this year and played 175 grade games for the club, including 83 as first grade five-eighth.
“We only had a one-year commitment from Mark and is he is such a high-quality coach we were unable to retain him for a second year,” Parsons sad.
“It is always hard to hold very professional coaches like Mark at basically semi-professional rugby clubs.
“We know he is going on to bigger and better things and we were very fortunate to have him for one year.
“And of course he did a great job after Darren Coleman as well.”
Parsons said Gerrard will always be one of the Warringah Rats’ favourite sons.
Gerrard flew out to Japan on Wednesday as part of a pre-arranged trip coinciding with the Rugby World Cup and will a bit of coaching while away.
Ruthven played for the Australian Under 16s, 19s and 21s and is currently team manager for the NSW Country Eagles in the National Rugby Championship.
He has built an impressive reputation as a coach and a number of rival Shute Shield clubs had expressed interest in securing his services for next season.
“He has had a great rugby career and has a great rugby vision,” Parsons said.
“ Rivo’ is another great Rat, he will slide straight in and carry on the good work that Mark Gerrard completed before him.”
Ruthven has already started preparations for next year and will have former NSW Waratahs forward Cam Treloar as an assistant coach.