I’m delighted to see Richard Agar get a new gig in the NRL.
He’s going to be assistant to new New Zealand Warriors coach Andrew Webster next season, and after his experience at Leeds, a fresh start will be just what he needs.
Staying at Headingley, and coming into regular contact with the players he once coached, and who in my view let him down at the start of this season, when he stood down after five defeats in the first six matches, would be awkward.
A clean break will be just the job, and hopefully the Warriors will progress with his help.
Richard has a lot to offer, and while his stint in charge of Leeds ended messily, he will still have benefited from his time there, which can be added to an already lengthy CV, which includes a period at St George Illawarra Dragons.
He didn’t join Leeds to be their head coach, but circumstances at the club changed, and when the chance came to take a job that you only tend to get offered once, he had to go for it.
While he has been head coach of York, Hull, Wakefield and France, perhaps he’s more suited to being an assistant, since he can focus on coaching and managing the players without having to do as much of the public-facing stuff, and Webster will certainly benefit from his presence.
As a head coach, you need an assistant you get along with, who you trust and who is not eyeing up your job, and in Richard, Webster will have that.
And while Webster has been in the game for a fair while, this is his first big coaching role, and in such a high-profile competition as the NRL, being able to call on Richard’s guidance will surely be a big help.
Before he heads to New Zealand, Richard will be involved with Samoa at the World Cup, which is an exciting prospect.
The best of luck to him with both his roles.
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