Australian women’s sevens coach John Manenti has the winner’s methods and man-management skills to be a successful NSW Waratahs coach.
That strong endorsement for Manenti as a home-grown replacement in 2022 for sacked Waratahs coach Rob Penney came today from Eastwood coach Ben Batger.
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Batger was talking up the Shute Shield as a development pathway for players and coaches when the club competition was launched on Thursday with new naming rights sponsor Charter Hall.
“John is a perfect fit for the Waratahs. You can talk up Darren Coleman or Simon Cron as options too but John had better results with less club resources,” Batger said of his one-time mentor.
Batger saw Manenti’s work at the coalface when playing under him during Eastwood’s golden run to three premierships in 2011, 2014 and 2015.
The Waratahs will operate for the first time under interim head coaches Jason Gilmore and Chris Whitaker at the SCG on Friday night for the clash against the Brumbies.
Both have head coach claims themselves for 2022. Gilmore, as a successful Australian Under-20s coach, has had time in the Queensland Reds and Waratahs systems.
Whitaker did hard yards in coaching roles in Ireland and France before his three seasons as an assistant coach with the Waratahs turned into this week’s role change.
Either Gilmore or Whitaker might get the head coach job full-time in 2022 but recent history suggests the runner-up will be lost for good.
When the Queensland Reds sacked Richard Graham two games into the 2016 Super Rugby campaign, his assistants Nick Stiles and Matt O’Connor became co-interim head coaches for the rest of the season.
Stiles got the gig for 2017 and O’Connor was lost abroad to English club Leicester.
Batger is a strong advocate of the Shute Shield as a proven pathway but when used in the right fashion.
“Look, the Shute Shield is a great development pathway and I mean playing and learning with your club side week in, week out as Tane Edmed did for us at five-eighth last year,” Batger said.
“The ‘Academy’ model isn’t working because 20-year-olds playing against 20-year-olds at a big tournament isn’t teaching you everything you need.
“As a 20-year-old, you don’t want to be thrown into doing all your learning in Super Rugby because it can be pretty ruthless.
“You dominate Shute Shield and you should be rewarded with a spot in a Waratahs squad. Either that or more good prospects will head to Major League Rugby in the US.”
Batger call Manenti a “perfect fit” for the Waratahs from August once he finishes his full-on assignment with Australia’s medal-chasing women’s sevens team at the Tokyo Olympics.
“John’s greatest strengths are his man management and keeping a squad harmonious apart from his technical nous,” Batger said.
“He knows when to rev up a team, he knows when the players need to take the lead and he knows when to control.”
Batger is confident Eastwood can have a big say in the Shute Shield this season after the positive strides made to the grand final in 2020.
English fullback Chris Bell will revert to his more accustomed role at No.10 with Edmed now developing his game with the Waratahs.
“We’ve retained most of our 2020 squad, we’re a year better and we’ve added to our attack and aggression on defence,” Batger said.
The Woodies have picked up sharp-stepping winger Rhian Stowers from Queensland’s Bond University club while another neat mover, fullback Lachlan Shelly, is fit again.
Up front, promising lock-backrower Charlie Cale, a former Beecroft junior, prop Willie Leoso and flanker Michael Icely have put injuries behind them.
Eastwood open the Shute Shield season on April 10 with a clash against Western Sydney at TG Millner Field.
Penrith coach John Muggleton is doing his best to juggle local talent with his imminent Kiwi recruits for the battling Emus’ first game against Norths at Nepean Rugby Park.
Prop Jackson Clarke (Taranaki) and lock Callum Adams (Counties Manukau) both have recent Mitre 10 Cup experience in New Zealand but Muggleton is piecing together his playing strength in Sydney before he activates them.
“We have some recruits ready to fly from NZ but getting our playing numbers and positional requirements finalised here comes first,” Muggleton said.
Flanker Andy Fiagatusa, a former NSW Cup forward with Wests Tigers, has been named Emus captain after his promising 2020 following a decade in rugby league.
“Andy is very strong, a good defender and a willing learner on the finer points of playing No.7,” Muggleton said.
Fiagatusa, a concreter, is committed.
“I played league for 10 years, wanted to try something new and I’ve fallen more in love with rugby as I’ve got into the game,” Fiagatusa said.
“How good is that (Stan Sports’ coverage of Shute Shield) because it will help promote the club and union in western Sydney.”
The Emus are still looking to reinforce their backline now 2020 five-eighth Dean Blore has shifted to Warringah.
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