February 8, 2025 • 9 mins
We're less than a week away from the start of the 2025 Super Rugby season - and the Highlanders are hoping to build off of last year's momentum.
Highlanders head coach Jamie Joseph joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
On News Talks EDB. So we've been to the Blues,
We've been to the Crusaders, to Mwana Pacifica, to the
Hurricanes and to the Chiefs. So let's finish our rap
of super rugby coach chats with the Highlanders.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Trying to find the space.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
He's got a little cap of.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Camp Feller.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Camp Feller's got one.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Oh goodness, gracious be it.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
I went for the heartedness. They take the four points.
They worked hard.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
It was Champagne rugby from the opening whistle. Highlanders head
coach is Jamie Joseph, who joins us now. Jamie, thanks
for taking the time for a chat. You've moved from
ahead of rugby role with the Highlanders last year to
the head coaching role that you held for six years
from twenty eleven to twenty sixteen inclusive. Is that head
coaching role one that you're a bit happier in?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
You want to say, it's a it's a club that
I'm really passionate about, Jason, And it's nice to be home.
Being away for I guess that's a long time and
then coming back into the club that I that I left,
it's really nice and really nice field to be back.
Obviously the players a little bit younger. I'm a little
bit older, but no, really really exciting to get back
into it.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
And as far as the change of role is concerned,
I presume you'll have a lot more hands on contact
this time around last year. Was there was there any
opportunity for you to have a real on the grass
impact with the team or not? Really?
Speaker 3 (01:36):
No, No, my role last last year really was really
was just as sister club. There's these new owners. I'm
obviously excited about about the future. So with new owners,
you know you get a new board, a new chairman.
So that was one part of it. The other part
of it had a very i guess a relatively inexperienced them,
(01:59):
particularly with with heat coaching. So Clark is a it's
a fine coach, has been around and coaching the hands
for some years, but was assist and so giving him
some support and the coaching teams and support was a
big part of my role. And then I guess just
looking looking at the recruitment side of things was another
big part of it. So looking looking for the future,
looking at young guys and trying to bring them back
(02:21):
down to the South to play for the Hornders.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
You prefer being on the grass and in an office,
wouldn't you.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Yeah, well, yeah, yeah. The head of rg B thing
wasn't something I sought after. Was something that the club
approached me with and asked me if I was interested
to be there. I was. I was pretty pretty tired
after being away for such a long time too World
Cup campaigns, so I was reasoning we had with just having,
you know, having a bit of a break from coaching,
(02:49):
But this role, I guess allowed me to have a
look at the club and in assess where it was
and then you know, and then this when this opportunity
came in to get back on the craft, I obviously
grabbed it. All right.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
So you've been mo onea PACIFICA in the Crusaders and
two pre season games, so I know results aren't necessarily
want but did you get everything you wanted out of
those two games?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah? Well yeah, yeah. You're trained for a couple of
months over getting the guys first, and that's a big
part of the preseason, and then that sort of culminates
in a couple of couple of matches where you try
to give everyone a run, and in the minor Pacific,
you know, both both teams had a real open posse
around around change. We had thirty two players, they had
about forty five players, so inevitably the game was quite missy.
(03:33):
But the game against Crusaders was more of a match
and more of a real sort of test around where
we were. So we're reasonably proud about their performance. But
we lost a couple of players, and I think they
lost a couple of players as well, so quite costly
in terms of, you know, injuries and for both sides.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Anyone you're going to lose for a long time or
are they more sort of minor niggles.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Yeah, looks it's with Nriki Joan and Riqui quaky. He
already made the sub and he rolled his ankle and
the kind of his last play, and initially it looked okay,
but then he woke up the next morning and it
was quite swollen and sore, and so that's that looks.
That looks at least, you know, three to four weeks.
(04:21):
And then we've got a player tick held and stranger's
hamstring and I mean they can be Negali but they
can also turn around reasonably fast as well, so when
when the players come back into work tomorrow, we'll have
more of an idea where we are.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
All right, well, wish them a speedy recovery in a
squad with with fewer all blacks than the other New
Zealand sides. How much more important are guys like Ethan
Degree for example, full our fuck Tarva, those who have
worn the black jersey.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yeah, well, I think you grab hold of all of
your experienced players. So our average age is was wequaked
us out, it's twenty two point four, so very young team.
Ethan a massive impact on the team, obviously because he's
our season all black, but he and he just joined
us last week as well, so he's been absent for
(05:10):
the whole whole preseason Flower just you know, recovering from
a knee operation after the last year's inn PC. He
was out for pretty much for all of the preseasons.
So yeah, look, they're obviously huge for our side, but
we've had to go ahead without them really and start
to build a team without that experience, and I guess
(05:33):
that's become a slight advantage because the fact that we
don't have a lot of War Blacks and a lot
of guys out of out of training. We've pretty much
got our group together. Well.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
I think one guy we all know will in all
likelihood being All Black and probably for a while as
Fabian Holland. He turned plenty of heads last year, call
up to the All Blacks fifteen, had a standout performance
against Munster, joined the All Blacks as an injury replacement.
Still only twenty two, so he's around that average that
you talked about. What do you predict for him in
the future.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
I think you're right. I think he's got the potential
being all Black. There's a few of those boys flowing
around around New Zealand. I guess for Sam Derry, as
I understand, has got a season in an injury, which
is unfortunate for for their player, but that sort of
makes it makes the line a little bit less. But
all I can really focus on with Fabian is that's
(06:28):
very hungry and since he's been back with us, you
know that hunger is showing out in terms of how
he's preparing, how he's training, and then they played really
well against the Crusaders. Is you know, it's a funny
old game. He's just got to, you know, get that
consistency that the best players have and keep on turning
in performances. And if he can do that, then yeah,
that's going to really benefit the team.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
You're won super RB. Of course, as Highland as head
coach in twenty fifteen, is there anything that's still key
today Jamie to replicating that success a decade later?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Well, the consistencies for the Highlanders as there were a
team that predominantly recruits from outside the region. I think
we've got about eight or nine percent of the playing
based based down in Duneda and other cargo. So we
go out of the region to get our players, which
is the which is the biggest challenge. But lot myself,
you know, a lot of the players come down here
to apply their traders rebby players and then end up
(07:24):
having families and staying here. So as the consistency is
the people who we represent and play for are proud.
They are proud rugby people down here in the Deep South.
We've always had quality coaches, you know, over the decades
of rugby, and so those are kind of consistent themes
if you like that, are always the same in Daned
(07:46):
and then and what I found was the players, and
then my time coaching instantly playing is that that's been
quite enjoyable and the players actually really enjoy once they
get used to it.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
I think I saw a photo of Tony Brown at
what are your trainings this week? Is he there an
official capacity or just helping out?
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Yeah? Officially helping out, I guess you might. You might
say he obviously a local head and loves the team
as well, loves the club, played played a little of
rugby for the Highlanders and coach the Hollanders with me,
and his base is a coach overseas, so when he's
home it's always nice to get him in to apply
(08:21):
a peer of fresh eyes over the crew and give
the coaches some feedback and and he's a really experienced
good back and say it's this nice dad Momble.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Great to have you back in the head coaching role, Jamie.
All the best for the season, he had, mate, Really
appreciate you taking the time for a chat. Thank you,
Thank you, Jamie. Jamie Joseph there wrapping our wrap of
super Rugby head coaches. Just before we carry on, I
just want to thank all six of the franchises and
their respective media teams for making the six head coaches
available to us and know it's a bit of an
(08:52):
undertaking to get get guys to chat to us at
times when they are, many of them on a day off,
so we do appreciate their accessibility to us.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Paine, listen live
to news Talks at B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
On News Talks EDB. So we've been to the Blues,
We've been to the Crusaders, to Mwana Pacifica, to the
Hurricanes and to the Chiefs. So let's finish our rap
of super rugby coach chats with the Highlanders.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Trying to find the space.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
He's got a little cap of.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Camp Feller.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Camp Feller's got one.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Oh goodness, gracious be it.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
I went for the heartedness. They take the four points.
They worked hard.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
It was Champagne rugby from the opening whistle. Highlanders head
coach is Jamie Joseph, who joins us now. Jamie, thanks
for taking the time for a chat. You've moved from
ahead of rugby role with the Highlanders last year to
the head coaching role that you held for six years
from twenty eleven to twenty sixteen inclusive. Is that head
coaching role one that you're a bit happier in?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
You want to say, it's a it's a club that
I'm really passionate about, Jason, And it's nice to be home.
Being away for I guess that's a long time and
then coming back into the club that I that I left,
it's really nice and really nice field to be back.
Obviously the players a little bit younger. I'm a little
bit older, but no, really really exciting to get back
into it.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
And as far as the change of role is concerned,
I presume you'll have a lot more hands on contact
this time around last year. Was there was there any
opportunity for you to have a real on the grass
impact with the team or not? Really?
Speaker 3 (01:36):
No, No, my role last last year really was really
was just as sister club. There's these new owners. I'm
obviously excited about about the future. So with new owners,
you know you get a new board, a new chairman.
So that was one part of it. The other part
of it had a very i guess a relatively inexperienced them,
(01:59):
particularly with with heat coaching. So Clark is a it's
a fine coach, has been around and coaching the hands
for some years, but was assist and so giving him
some support and the coaching teams and support was a
big part of my role. And then I guess just
looking looking at the recruitment side of things was another
big part of it. So looking looking for the future,
looking at young guys and trying to bring them back
(02:21):
down to the South to play for the Hornders.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
You prefer being on the grass and in an office,
wouldn't you.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Yeah, well, yeah, yeah. The head of rg B thing
wasn't something I sought after. Was something that the club
approached me with and asked me if I was interested
to be there. I was. I was pretty pretty tired
after being away for such a long time too World
Cup campaigns, so I was reasoning we had with just having,
you know, having a bit of a break from coaching,
(02:49):
But this role, I guess allowed me to have a
look at the club and in assess where it was
and then you know, and then this when this opportunity
came in to get back on the craft, I obviously
grabbed it. All right.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
So you've been mo onea PACIFICA in the Crusaders and
two pre season games, so I know results aren't necessarily
want but did you get everything you wanted out of
those two games?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah? Well yeah, yeah. You're trained for a couple of
months over getting the guys first, and that's a big
part of the preseason, and then that sort of culminates
in a couple of couple of matches where you try
to give everyone a run, and in the minor Pacific,
you know, both both teams had a real open posse
around around change. We had thirty two players, they had
about forty five players, so inevitably the game was quite missy.
(03:33):
But the game against Crusaders was more of a match
and more of a real sort of test around where
we were. So we're reasonably proud about their performance. But
we lost a couple of players, and I think they
lost a couple of players as well, so quite costly
in terms of, you know, injuries and for both sides.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Anyone you're going to lose for a long time or
are they more sort of minor niggles.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Yeah, looks it's with Nriki Joan and Riqui quaky. He
already made the sub and he rolled his ankle and
the kind of his last play, and initially it looked okay,
but then he woke up the next morning and it
was quite swollen and sore, and so that's that looks.
That looks at least, you know, three to four weeks.
(04:21):
And then we've got a player tick held and stranger's
hamstring and I mean they can be Negali but they
can also turn around reasonably fast as well, so when
when the players come back into work tomorrow, we'll have
more of an idea where we are.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
All right, well, wish them a speedy recovery in a
squad with with fewer all blacks than the other New
Zealand sides. How much more important are guys like Ethan
Degree for example, full our fuck Tarva, those who have
worn the black jersey.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yeah, well, I think you grab hold of all of
your experienced players. So our average age is was wequaked
us out, it's twenty two point four, so very young team.
Ethan a massive impact on the team, obviously because he's
our season all black, but he and he just joined
us last week as well, so he's been absent for
(05:10):
the whole whole preseason Flower just you know, recovering from
a knee operation after the last year's inn PC. He
was out for pretty much for all of the preseasons.
So yeah, look, they're obviously huge for our side, but
we've had to go ahead without them really and start
to build a team without that experience, and I guess
(05:33):
that's become a slight advantage because the fact that we
don't have a lot of War Blacks and a lot
of guys out of out of training. We've pretty much
got our group together. Well.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
I think one guy we all know will in all
likelihood being All Black and probably for a while as
Fabian Holland. He turned plenty of heads last year, call
up to the All Blacks fifteen, had a standout performance
against Munster, joined the All Blacks as an injury replacement.
Still only twenty two, so he's around that average that
you talked about. What do you predict for him in
the future.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
I think you're right. I think he's got the potential
being all Black. There's a few of those boys flowing
around around New Zealand. I guess for Sam Derry, as
I understand, has got a season in an injury, which
is unfortunate for for their player, but that sort of
makes it makes the line a little bit less. But
all I can really focus on with Fabian is that's
(06:28):
very hungry and since he's been back with us, you
know that hunger is showing out in terms of how
he's preparing, how he's training, and then they played really
well against the Crusaders. Is you know, it's a funny
old game. He's just got to, you know, get that
consistency that the best players have and keep on turning
in performances. And if he can do that, then yeah,
that's going to really benefit the team.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
You're won super RB. Of course, as Highland as head
coach in twenty fifteen, is there anything that's still key
today Jamie to replicating that success a decade later?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Well, the consistencies for the Highlanders as there were a
team that predominantly recruits from outside the region. I think
we've got about eight or nine percent of the playing
based based down in Duneda and other cargo. So we
go out of the region to get our players, which
is the which is the biggest challenge. But lot myself,
you know, a lot of the players come down here
to apply their traders rebby players and then end up
(07:24):
having families and staying here. So as the consistency is
the people who we represent and play for are proud.
They are proud rugby people down here in the Deep South.
We've always had quality coaches, you know, over the decades
of rugby, and so those are kind of consistent themes
if you like that, are always the same in Daned
(07:46):
and then and what I found was the players, and
then my time coaching instantly playing is that that's been
quite enjoyable and the players actually really enjoy once they
get used to it.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
I think I saw a photo of Tony Brown at
what are your trainings this week? Is he there an
official capacity or just helping out?
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Yeah? Officially helping out, I guess you might. You might
say he obviously a local head and loves the team
as well, loves the club, played played a little of
rugby for the Highlanders and coach the Hollanders with me,
and his base is a coach overseas, so when he's
home it's always nice to get him in to apply
(08:21):
a peer of fresh eyes over the crew and give
the coaches some feedback and and he's a really experienced
good back and say it's this nice dad Momble.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Great to have you back in the head coaching role, Jamie.
All the best for the season, he had, mate, Really
appreciate you taking the time for a chat. Thank you,
Thank you, Jamie. Jamie Joseph there wrapping our wrap of
super Rugby head coaches. Just before we carry on, I
just want to thank all six of the franchises and
their respective media teams for making the six head coaches
available to us and know it's a bit of an
(08:52):
undertaking to get get guys to chat to us at
times when they are, many of them on a day off,
so we do appreciate their accessibility to us.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Paine, listen live
to news Talks at B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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