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Andy Friend to coach Brumbies!

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Fushitsusha

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Interesting news.. haven't been following the HEC much so I don't know how the Quins have been doing...



http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,2...3-23217,00.html

Brumbies to confirm Friend's appointment

By Bret Harris

April 15, 2008 THE Brumbies are poised to name Andy Friend as the new head coach of the two-time Super champions, with incumbent Laurie Fisher expected to revert to forwards coach.

A former Brumbies skills coach under Eddie Jones and an ex-New South Wales assistant under Ewen McKenzie, Friend has coached English club Harlequins for the past three years.

Friend also coached the Australia Under-21 team that lost to South Africa in the final of the 2005 world championship.

Friend is expected to sign a three-year deal with the Brumbies.

There is little doubt Friend would continue the Brumbies' tradition of attacking rugby, which is a core belief of the Canberra-based side.

The fact that Friend is a backs specialist creates the opportunity for Fisher to remain with the team. Fisher was the Brumbies' forwards coach in 2004 when they won the Super ***le under David Nucifora, and he has indicated he would be prepared to accept an assistant's role again.

While Fisher is highly regarded in Canberra, the fact the Brumbies did not reach the semi-finals in the past three years was sufficient cause to call for applications for the job.

The Brumbies are ninth on the table and still hold an outside chance of making the semi-finals, but the organisation is believed to have decided on a new direction.

Following instructions from the ACT Rugby Union board to find a new head coach, Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan established a panel of experts - Stirling Mortlock, Brett Robinson and Pat Howard - to advise him, while former Brumbies and Australia coach Rod Macqueen also had some input.

Fagan is due to make a recommendation to the board before the end of this month, with Friend to be the name put forward.

Louden was the early favourite to replace McKenzie at New South Wales, but he seems to have slipped out of contention.

Former Australia five-eighth Brian Smith, who is coaching London Irish, is believed to be a contender for the NSW job, as is Western Force backs coach John Mulvihill. Smith and Mulvihill both played rugby league for Balmain Tigers under Alan Jones in the early 1990s.

Waratahs chief executive Jim L'Estrange will make a recommendation on the coach to the NSWRU board on May 12.
 
The quins have being going pretty well in the GP.......i do not know enough about him to comment on him personally.

Gandalf has served the brumbies well i think and i think will do well as a forwards coach under friend.
 

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