New Waratahs CEO Greg Harris identifies coach replacement and Israel Folau as top priorities

FIRST day on the job, and new Waratahs boss Greg Harris was already busy planning for the two major issues confronting him.

Melbourne Rebels v NSW Waratahs Super Rugby at AAMI Park, Israel Folau gets a pass away. Melbourne. 20th February 2015. Picture: Colleen Petch.

FIRST day on the job, and new Waratahs boss Greg Harris was already busy planning for the two major issues confronting him: hiring a new coach, and retaining Australia’s most sought after rugby star.

Harris urged NSW fans not to expect a carbon copy of head coach Michael Cheika, who vacates the role after July’s final to focus solely on the Wallabies, while he is well aware of the important of re-signing Israel Folau for both rugby and marketing purposes.

Folau is being pursued by NRL clubs, European and Japanese rugby, and if he is lured away it would be a devastating loss to a franchise that last year won back streams of disillusioned fans after winning the Super Rugby title.

“Singing Israel is without doubt a priority, I know the ARU have already engaged with him,” Harris said.

“With marquee players such as Israel, their signing and re-signing is a joint venture between the ARU and their franchise.

“You’d be an idiot if you didn’t prioritise the re-signing of the marquee player in the game.

“He is the major asset that the game has as far as individual players, but at the same time you need to make sure that the commercially viable arrangement that you enter in to with all parties is done responsibly.”

The Tahs are already losing stars Adam Ashley-Cooper, Sekope Kepu and Brendan McKibbin to overseas clubs, while Bernard Foley and Taqele Naiyaravoro have been linked to offshore moves, and the futures of internationals Kurtley Beale, Wycliff Palu, Will Skelton, Jacques Potgieter and Peter Betham remain uncertain.

New Waratahs CEO Greg Harris.

But Harris knows well that he can’t attempt to convince these players - and Folau - to stay on if they don’t know who the coach will be.

Assistant Daryl Gibson is the players’ preference, while Brian Smith, Nick Stiles, Andrew Blades and Nick Scrivener have all been linked to the post.

“It would have been nice to walk in and have these things done, but I guess they wouldn’t have needed to hire me if that was the case,” Harris quipped.

“Without doubt Michael Cheika is the leader of the band at this time.

“The process of getting a new coach is important, you have to determine what different people will bring to this club.

“There are clearly wonderful values that have been established here over the past couple of years.

“There is a great saying; be yourself, because everybody else is taken.

“They broke the mould when they made Cheika, the next bloke will be different, he will have different perspectives and different strengths and weaknesses.

“Hiring a coach and all those around him is the highest priority.”

Beyond that, Harris will look to ensure the financial stability of the Waratahs at a time rugby needs every dollar it can get.

“Success for me would be that we have a financially viable model that can exist with consistency regardless of the fluctuations in football performance,” Harris said.

“So at the end of the day, if we do come first, that is a big plus and the financial rewards get the business going. But if you miss the finals for a couple of years you are still in a viable model of operation.”

Originally published as New Waratahs CEO Greg Harris identifies coach replacement and Israel Folau as top priorities