As a horror season finally drew to a close on Friday night, Darren Coleman sat down for his final press conference as Waratahs coach in the bowels of Allianz Stadium, reflecting on yet another agonising loss – this time to the Reds by a single point.
The emotional toll of the year was written on Coleman’s face as he sat beside his young son Jake and Waratahs captain Jake Gordon to face the press for the last time. The coach was rightly proud of his team’s fight, but also reminded of how close he came at times to turning around a team he so passionately led.
Coleman spoke of his pride in leading his home state and his desire to ensure that the right person leads the Waratahs next season. Coleman has finished his official coaching duties and will spend the next period working on a full review of the season.
“You definitely want him to care about the state in the sport in the state and Australia,” Coleman said of his successor. “We’ve copped a rough trot over the last few years so he’s got to care about it.
“But I think maybe where I went wrong at different times was probably I cared a bit too much on the bigger picture and not enough on the team and getting results. Not that I didn’t care about the results, but I think first and foremost he’s got to get the list and the roster set up how he wants, and we’re all going to be rooting for him.”
Regardless of the Waratahs’ last-place finish, the NSW coaching ticket still remains appealing in rugby circles, not only within Australia but internationally. Success at the Waratahs doesn’t mean an automatic promotion to the Wallabies job, but it doesn’t hurt, either, with Joe Schmidt contracted only until the end of the British and Irish Lions series in 2025.
Jack Bowen celebrates scoring a try against the Reds and gives Waratahs fans a taste of what could be in the future.Credit: Getty
The Waratahs will head to market for the new coach in the coming weeks, while at the same time seeking candidates for the equivalent of a general manager. After a year that brought just two victories and a last-placed finish, the pressure will be on the next coach to deliver improvements immediately to Australian rugby’s biggest market.
Who are the early candidates?