Helensvale Hogs searching for new coaches ahead of 2020 season

He steered the team to their first title in 32 years but the head coach will not return in 2020 to defend the crown, forcing club officials to scramble to find a new coach in time for pre-season.

Gold Coast District Rugby Union grand final between Griffith University Colleges and Helensvale Hogs. Photo of victory celebrations. Photo by Richard Gosling

Helensvale Hogs will enter the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby First Grade competition with an all-new coaching staff after increasing work commitments forced the resignation of 2019’s premiership-winning coaching staff.

Head coach Tai Vea and prolific assistant Pierre Hola led the Hogs to their first premiership in 32 years in 2019 but will leave the job of defending that crown to a new team of coaches.

Griffith University Colleges coach Johnny Ngauamo (L) and Helensvale coach Taione Vea. Both are former Tongan rugby internationals and are now coaching rival Gold Coast District Rugby Union powerhouse clubs. Photo by Richard Gosling

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“Tai’s work commitments changed quite late into the season this year and with first grade’s timeslot moving it’s just too big a job (in 2020),” Hogs president Karl Wernham said.

“I’m really pleased for both of them that they could step down as winners.”

Finding coaches willing to take on the challenge of returning the Hogs to the finals should be a simple task with a large squad of defending champions who know what it takes to succeed.

“All our boys are returning from 2019 and the depth we have at the club is second-to-none,” Mr Wernham said.

Helensvale Hogs assistant coach and former Tonga international Pierre Hola ahead of Saturday's Gold Coast District Rugby Union grand final. Picture: Jerad Williams

“The boys are pretty keen to go back-to-back so they’ll be willing to step up and go to the next level with whoever we appoint as coach.

“We hope a new coach can just keep things simple and hopefully build on what we’ve accomplished over the last few years.

“We want a coach we will buy into our culture and improve on it, pushing the boys to another level and keeping them hungry.”

Helensvale are seeking expressions of interest for specialist forwards and backs coaches as well as for head coach and team manager.

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