Herring excited about what lies ahead

Otago coach Ben Herring at Forsyth Barr Stadium this week. Photo: Peter McIntosh
Otago coach Ben Herring at Forsyth Barr Stadium this week. Photo: Peter McIntosh
Ben Herring knew when it was time to come home.

The new Otago coach is back in Dunedin, getting his feet under the table and talking to players, as he prepares the Otago team for the Mitre 10 Cup.

Herring had been working in Japan with the Sunwolves and the Japanese national team which made for a busy 2017, and for Herring plenty of time away from the family.

``We spent something like 21 nights together in five months. So that was a tough season. Then we found out my wife was pregnant and thought we could not go through that again,'' he said.

``So we made the call to come back.''

With wife Wal due to give birth to their fourth child at the end of next month, Herring said the initial plan was to return to New Zealand, have the baby, and then assess things after that.

But the Otago job came up in November and it was a too good an opportunity to turn down.

Herring, who was a flanker in his playing days for Otago, Southland, the Highlanders and Hurricanes, and his family, including children Huxley (9), Rocket (6) and Eckhart (4) shifted to Dunedin from Auckland earlier this month.

Herring, who had been the Otago assistant coach in 2016 before he left for Japan, and also worked with the Highlanders, said it was early days in his job, but he was excited about what was ahead of him.

``I'm looking to really connect with the whole community. It is a really exciting time in Otago playing-wise ... there will be new players. A few guys have left and that just creates holes for young guys.''

There has certainly been a turnover of players in the Otago jersey since the end of the season.

Tight forwards Craig Millar and Blair Tweed have both gone to Japan, while flanker Dillon Hunt has gone to North Harbour. First five-eighth Hayden Parker has joined the Sunwolves while Fletcher Smith, also a No10, has joined Waikato and Tei Walden, a midfielder, has gone home to Taranaki.

The Otago team changed to training all year round more than five years ago and Herring will continue with that group work although he will switch it into four blocks.

Some players may start in the first block but then be moved out to club rugby as another block starts.

He will begin meetings one-on-one with players over the next few days and has met academy players.

Herring said there was plenty of passion around the province, including country rugby.

The final draw for this year's Mitre 10 Cup is due out shortly.

Tom Donnelly will be back as the forwards coach and Herring will run the attack part of the game.

When he was with Otago in 2016, he looked after the defence but Lee Allan will look after that part of the game.

Herring, who got into coaching aged 30 after he was forced to give up the game because of concussion, will look to bring someone else in but he will look after the attack himself, which he is looking forward to.

The 37-year-old is known as an innovator and said he would look to do things a little bit differently at training.

``I'd say it will be interesting, a memorable environment.''

Herring will not be director of coaching for the union which is going through options to see how that job will be structured.

 

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