Phillip Warren Young - press releases 2002

Phil

No. 1 - Clark confident Stags can keep young guns

Losing coach Leicester Rutledge should not affect Southland's chances of retaining its best young players at the end of the year, according to Rugby Southland boss, Roger Clark. A group of Southland's most promising players, understood to include halfback Jimmy Cowan, prop Clarke Dermody and Crusaders hooker Corey Frynn come off contract at the end of the season.

Rutledge will be replaced as the Stags' head coach by former Otago assistant Phil Young if Rutledge takes up a contract with the Italian Rugby Federation. Clark said the issue was one the union was well aware of. "It's something that over the next few months we will be working very hard with Phil and Ziggy and Laurie Mains to keep that team together." Of biggest concern is Flynn. The New Zealand Colts representative was the only Southland-based player to secure a Super 12 contract without leaving the province this season. The Canterbury and Crusaders team culture and its ability to fast-track players into the All Blacks make Flynn vulnerable. Without careful handling, the bustling rake could join the list of prime rugby exports who have left Southland with great success like Otago's Jeff Wilson, Canterbury's Justin Marshall and Auckland's Mils Muliaina.

It is understood Rutledge talked to all his leading players to tell them he was negotiating with Italian coach John Kirwan and Clark has been in steady contact with Flynn. "I spent four days with Corey over the weekend, all the key people were spoken to early on and especially Corey because we didn't want Canterbury getting in there straight away, we saw that as potentially an opening." One of the bright points ahead of Southland's 2002 national provincial championships campaign is the growing experience the team will have this year. Like the successful Taranaki teams of recent seasons the Southland union would like to model itself on, the core of the team has now spent a meaningful amount of time together. The key to building on that, is retaining the players coming through - not just for the current team, but to secure public support.

It (Young's appointment) could have had a major effect," Clark admitted. "But because of the guy we are dealing with, he's had dealings with all the players so it's not an issue." Clark also expects the Southland public to get in behind Young. "I've talked to all our coaches who might have felt they were in line for the job, but everyone says it's the right decision and they are all looking forward to working with Phil. "Every team he prepares gives it 100 percent gutsy football, and that's what people down here expect." The Stags management team would not change if Rutledge departs. Manager Murray Heath said he looked forward to working with Young.

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