News

McKenzie saga drags on

May 20 2008

Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie is set to reject Stade Français' coaching offer in favour of pursuing a career in Ireland.

Munster are still searching for a new Head Coach and McKenzie is believed to be in the running for the vacant position.

The Munster job became vacant after Declan Kidney's recent appointment as Ireland Head Coach. But McKenzie will have to compete against another Australian, Tony McGahan, for the Munster position.

McGahan, who has been Munster's defence coach for two-and-half-years, is highly regarded in Cork.

The Queensland-born coach has been instrumental in helping Munster reach the Heineken Cup final and has a lot of support among the players.

McKenzie was expected to take the Stade Français job, but he has had second thoughts about coaching the Paris-based team. He has been talking to Stade Français since before the Waratahs announced on April 1 that they would not be renewing his contract at the end of the Super 14 season.

After McKenzie guided the Waratahs into the Super 14 semi-finals, with an 18-11 win against Queensland in Brisbane on Saturday, he even floated the idea of remaining in Sydney.

But this feeler did not meet with favour from Waratahs officials who had already decided to let him go. Even Waratahs' players are publicly saying that McKenzie should accept the NSWRU's decision and leave.