Pat Lam: To replace Eric Elwood
Connacht has confirmed the appointment of former Blues boss Pat Lam as head coach to replace the outgoing Eric Elwood.
Lam will take up the role on June 1 while Elwood will remain in the position for the remainder of the 2012/13 season.
44-year-old Lam has accepted a two year contract with the option to extend for a further period.
Lam represented the All Blacks in a tour match before going on to captain Samoa in a distinguished playing career which included spells with Newcastle Falcons and Northampton Saints where he lifted the Heineken Cup.
His coaching career includes a successful spell at Auckland in the New Zealand Provincial Championship from 2005 to 2009 where he won the title in 2005 and 2007 before he went on to head up the Blues in the Super Rugby.
Under Lam the Blues achieved their best finish for several years in 2011 reaching the semi-finals, where they lost to eventual winners the Reds.
He has also been involved at international level as a consultant to both Scotland and Samoa, most recently on the Pacific Islanders highly successful UK tour late last year when they claimed the scalps of both Wales and Canada which saw them make the top eight of the IRB World Rankings.
Connacht CEO Tom Sears expressed his delight with Lam's appointment.
"The appointment of our next coach is a huge decision for Connacht Rugby and at the end of an extensive process we are delighted to be able to appoint Pat Lam," he said
"The position attracted worldwide interest enabling us to select from an incredibly strong field and we are convinced Pat has all the qualities and credentials to take Connacht forward.
"Allied to his experience and technical expertise he displayed an excellent knowledge of Connacht, of where we are, what we aim to achieve, the obstacles we face and how we can ultimately achieve our objective of becoming one of the leading sides in European rugby.
"Throughout the selection process Pat displayed a real affinity to what Connacht Rugby means and that was crucial to us.
"He will no doubt bring about progressive changes but he is also extremely committed to retaining and building on the qualities that make Connacht unique."
Lam is keen to add value at the Irish province.
"My family and I are truly blessed to have another opportunity to be part of a new community and country and we are looking forward to the exciting challenge ahead at Connacht," he said.
"I was very impressed by the Board's vision for Connacht Rugby and the fighting spirit of the team and supporters to persevere against all the odds.
"I'm looking forward to working with good people to build on the great work that Eric has done."
Comments
shrimps says...
terrible appointment. connacht seem to have done a terrible job and replacing their old coach who did a really good job with what he had and with the best players constantly being stolen
Posted 13:37 13th January 2013
three6three6 says...
Yes.... davodiablo..... all four Irish teams now have NZ coaches... I am not sure that this is altogether good for Irish rugby. Lam's appointment does not send a very good message to the rest of the Irish qualified coaches.... Lam was a great player and a good coach at ITM level with Auckland.... but at Super Rugby level he was a serial under acheiver.
Posted 03:18 13th January 2013
pedro33 says...
The decision to appoint him the outcome of a poor process. Appointment lacks imagination, with 4 non irish coaches - not a good sign for the future of coaching in ireland that we cannot appoint one from our own local coaching development programme.....
Posted 14:47 12th January 2013
damo says...
No offence, if he can't get a blues side playing with any pattern and about 12 AB's on the books incl in the pack, scrum half, and back line filled with talent how did they give him this job? Eric Elwoods good work to turn to pot within a year is a certainty, I really like Connaught and have hoped IRFU start to treat them more fairly however I have to admit I now hope they leave Lam do his worst and wait til he is sacked before assisting Connaught.
Did anyone ask him why Nonu/Wepu/Williams/Woodcock/Melamu/Kaino/Ranger etc managed to forget how to play rugby under his management? Or How he went the entire year with below par full backs and short a decent winger when Charles Piutau was the stand out player in the ITM cup in that position and for Auckland.
Also the issues with players drinking and being suspended etc, not a manager more one of the boys in my opinion and thats why he is not been offered anything other than my beloved Connaught, Shame on whomever made this appointment, hopefully there is a poor performance clause to sack this lad so as not to ruin the province!!!!
Posted 11:03 12th January 2013
carpelone says...
He goes from failure to failure and still manages to get new jobs.
Posted 10:51 12th January 2013
davodiablo says...
Does every Irish team have a Kiwi coach now ?
Posted 09:44 12th January 2013