Coach To Call The Tune For Code's Wandering Band
Sun Herald
Sunday October 26, 2008
PAUL NIXON has coached in Romania, guided a bunch of lightweights around New Zealand and held the reins at Sydney club Norths.
But the aspiring mentor regards his latest appointment as, perhaps, his biggest challenge.Nixon, 45, was last week handed the job of leading the NSW Country Cockatoos in their defence of the Australian Rugby Shield.The role is like few others in Australian rugby union: select the best 30 players from an area stretching from Moree to the Murrumbidgee, bring them together for a weekend training camp and then criss-cross the nation playing the best that Western Australia, Darwin, Adelaide, Melbourne and Queensland Country have to offer."There is a bit to live up with them being the defending champions so it is quite a big challenge," Nixon said. "Time and travel are the biggest hurdles."We will pick a squad straight after the Country Championships in March."We have a two-day training camp the following weekend, a trial against NSW Subbies, another against the Brumbies Runners, and then we are into the rugby shield in May."Most of the time we have will be spent working on our patterns and playing styles. There won't be much time for individual skills development."Newcastle supplied six players - Mick Lee, Marcus Simpson, Dave Kennedy, Blake Creighton, Matt Dun and Paul Dan - to the squad last season.As reigning Country champions, they are again expected to dominate selection."All being equal, that is where a high percentage of the players will come from - the main zones," Nixon said."But it is my intention to get to as many of the zones as I can. "I want to speak to the coaches, let them get an understanding of what we are looking for, do a bit of pre-work and identify a few players."Nixon assisted at Newcastle premiers Hamilton this season but had not had a full-time gig since leaving Norths after last season.
© 2008 Sun Herald