How new Hurricanes assistant Cory Jane has proven the value of being a star former player in the world of coaching

John Plumtree turned 50 during his first season as assistant coach of the Hurricanes.

By then he’d won provincial titles as a head coach in both Wales and South Africa and guided Wellington to NPC finals. Plumtree took the Sharks to a Super Rugby decider as well, before helping Joe Schmidt coach Ireland.

The man was seasoned and successful, with a broad knowledge of rugby around the world.

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The Hurricanes have now replaced him with Cory Jane, just as Carlos Spencer took Chris Boyd’s place on the coaching staff ahead of the 2019 season.

Jane is an immensely capable and likeable character and was certainly a fine player. But at 36, and less than three years removed from his last game as a Hurricane, pretty green in coaching terms.

No-one doubts that Jane is smart or that he won’t strike a rapport with the players, it’s just Super Rugby seems an odd place to serve your coaching apprenticeship. Especially when, with Plumtree now on the All Blacks’ staff, Jason Holland will be head coach of a team for the very first time.