Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson wants to extend contract for one more season and then move on

DARYL Gibson says he would like to extend his tenure as head coach of the Waratahs for one more season, before moving on at the end of 2019.

DARYL Gibson says he would like to extend his tenure as head coach of the Waratahs for one more season, before moving on at the end of 2019.

Off contract this year, Gibson is currently negotiating with NSW Rugby about his coaching future and, after six years at the Waratahs, says his “preference” is to re-sign for a single season.

The 43-year-old Kiwi hopes to have an answer from NSW Rugby bosses “within the next month” but says he is also content if the Waratahs decide to go in a different direction.

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“As I have always said, it had been a privilege to coach this team and it would be my preference to go around again for another season,” Gibson said.

“I would like to extend for another year. That’s family-related, my kids are about to go to school.

Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson wants a contract extension.

“Obviously negotiations are ongoing and a lot of this year is performance-related, results-wise. Hopefully within the next month I will know either way and I am comfortable with either outcome.”

Gibson said even if he is retained for another season, he would make way for a new coach at the end of it.

“In terms of what I feeling right now, I think by the end of 2019 that’s a pretty decent run. That would have been a great go at it, and I think it would probably be time,” Gibson said.

“I have been here since 2013 and I have been really lucky. This is my sixth year and another would make seven. I have been very fortunate.”

Gibson joined the Waratahs in 2013 as an assistant coach to Michael Cheika, and helped the team win a premiership in 2014 before taking over as head coach in 2016.

His record as head coach is a modest 46 per cent in 37 games, but this year’s five wins from seven games is a far better return and potential evidence that after two lean years, Gibson’s rebuild is starting to bear fruit.

The next month will be telling, though, with the Tahs taking on last year’s minor premiers the Lions and then launching into a four-game stretch against Kiwi teams.

Coach Daryl Gibson has the Waratahs heading in the right direction this season.

One-year extensions for coaches are rare in professional footy, however, and NSW Rugby bosses may elect to pursue a longer-term option with a new coach.

Assistant coaches Simon Cron and Chris Malone have both won Shute Shield premierships and would be in the mix and there would no doubt be a global search as well.

Gibson said he felt proud of his work to ensure strong and effective pathways inside NSW Rugby.

“Part of what I wanted to achieve with the team is putting it in a really stable place, in terms of making sure the alignment of our clubs and our pathways and our succession is really healthy, not

only from a playing front but a coaching front as well,” he said.

“I have always maintained since I have been here that for the rugby playing population we have in this state, we should be consistently performing at a high level and be really competitive in the Super series.

“To do we have a lot of systems and structures to put in place, and I think we are really starting to see that. It has been in the infancy mode, and one of the things that has not been lost on me is that successive turnover of regimes has not helped that.”

Gibson said the team had learned a lot from their dismal season last year, when they won just four games.

“We are a team in transition — teams go through that — but we have good stability in our roster now and I would really like for the long-term future of the Waratahs to make sure it is in a good place,” Gibson said.

“And that’s regardless of whether I stay on or have to go find another job.”

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Originally published as Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson wants to extend contract for one more season and then move on