connoly buovo coach dei uollabis

[Cane_di_Pavlov]

The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) on Thursday confirmed what most media outlets have been speculating about for weeks: the appointment of John Connolly as head coach of the Wallabies.
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<BR>New Wallaby coach John Connolly
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<BR> Connolly, who replaces Eddie Jones (who was axed in December), is expected to lead the Australian national team to the 2007 Rugby Word Cup.
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<BR>Connolly, who has had professional coaching experience with the Queensland Reds, Stade Francais, Swansea and most recently Bath will head a new look structure designed to address key areas identified for improvement.
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<BR>A more streamlined coaching management team will consist of John Connolly as head coach presiding over a new structure of an attack coach, a defence coach and a restarts coach.
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<BR>Negotiations with candidates below the head coach position are ongoing.
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<BR>ARU Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Gary Flowers says the appointment of the new team combines the vast experience of John Connolly and others with proven skills and innovation in critical areas of the game.
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<BR>"Over the past two months we have identified where we need to go," Flowers said. "I am very pleased to announce today that John Connolly will head the coaching team to take us there. We certainly have the players, now we have a head coach with the right skills to get the Wallabies back in a winning vein.
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<BR>"John's experience in Australia and overseas, his approach to the game and his ability to lead a specialist team made him the outstanding choice.
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<BR>"The ARU received a large number of applications and we cast a broad net. Given the challenges we face, a John Connolly led coaching team is the fresh start Australian rugby needs."
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<BR>The new Wallaby head coach says he's under no illusions about the magnitude of the job ahead.
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<BR>"I don't mind a challenge and they don't come bigger than winning a World Cup," Connolly said. It's a great privilege to coach the national team. We've got 20 Test matches to get the team in a winning position.
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<BR>"I am focused on the positives. I will have the benefit of a new coaching structure and what will be an excellent coaching team around me. Super 14 provides the opportunity to look at more players than we have in the past with greater competition for places. The work of the High Performance Unit and the selection Panel has also given me a head start with the work they have been doing over the past two months.
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<BR>"We are also fortunate that our four Super 14 teams are very well coached. I look forward to working with the provinces in the next 18 months to ensure our mutual goals are achieved.
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<BR>"We do need to think about the game differently and I think the coaching structure we are looking at is innovative. Importantly, with the right people in place it will address the key problems." Connolly added.
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<BR>Flowers also announced that former Wallaby coach Rod Macqueen will continue as a Rugby Advisor to the ARU.
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<BR>"Rod has made an outstanding contribution to the coach selection process and he has had an ongoing role since June last year with a number of projects. Rugby needs to retain its intellectual property. Rod's ongoing involvement makes a lot of sense.
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<BR>John Connolly's first day in the office is this Monday, February 6.
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<BR>Connolly's coaching career highlights:
<BR>1994: Super 10, Reds - Champions
<BR>1995: Super 10, Reds - Champions
<BR>1996: Super 12, Reds - losing semi-finalists
<BR>1999: Super 12, Reds - losing semi-finalists
<BR>2000: French Champs, Stade Francais - Premiers
<BR>2001: Heineken Cup, Stade Francais - Finalists
<BR>2003/04: Zurich Premiership, Bath - play-offs
<BR>2003/04: Zurich Premiership Coach of the Year Award
<BR>2004/05: Powergen Cup, Bath - Finalists
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<BR>An announcement on the remainder of the coaching team is expected in the coming weeks.
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[egon]

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<BR><I>Il 54enne di Brisbane prende il posto di Eddie Jones</I>
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<BR>Sydney - <B>John Connolly</B> e' il nuovo coach della nazionale australiana di rugby. Il 54enne di Brisbane prende il posto di Eddie Jones, licenziato lo scorso dicembre dopo il disastroso tour europeo dei Wallabies. Sposato, tre figli, Connolly ha firmato un contratto di due anni ed avra' come obiettivo principale la coppa del mondo del 2007, in Francia. Lo staff tecnico verra' dotato di una nuova struttura, con un coach per l'attacco, uno per la difesa ed uno per le ripartenze, i tre settori che hanno mostrato piu' di altri la necessita' di miglioramenti. Durante la sua carriera di coach, Connolly e' rimasto dal 1989 al 2000 a Queensland, prima di trasferirsi in Europa per allenare Stade Francais, Swansea e, recentemente, Bath.
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<BR>''I giocatori li avevamo e adesso c'e' anche un coach con tutti i requisiti per permettere alla squadra di tornare a vincere'', ha detto l'amministratore delegato della Rugby Union, Gary Flowers. Connolly e' felice: ''Non penso ci possa essere sfida piu' difficile e stimolante di quella rappresentata dalla coppa del mondo''.
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<BR><I>(Spr/Adnkronos)</I>
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<BR>Giuliana

[THAKER]

E io che oramai avrebbero scelto John Kirwan

[i-ching]

nooo...ma ti pare?