Bay coach signs in Georgia

Bay of Plenty Rugby Union player development and academy manager Dean Jennings is the latest in a long line of Kiwi coaches heading offshore to pass on his coaching knowledge.

Jennings, whose association with the province goes back more than 30 years, will begin his new role as director of the Georgian national academy on September 1, and is also likely to be involved in the sevens set-up as well as some video analysis for the national side.

Dean Jennings will take up the role as Georgia National Academy director on September 1.

He joins fellow Kiwi and former Bay of Plenty and Counties Manukau coach Milton Haig, who accepted the Georgian national coaching job early last year.

Jennings' hiring happened within a week of the original offer, triggering a fair amount of reminiscing from the staunch Bay of Plenty man.

'I've been here a long time actually; I didn't realise how long it had been,” says Jennings.

'I thought about it the other day – it's funny how you think about it when things like this happen.

'I played for Bay of Plenty Primary Schools in those days – it's now Roller Mills. That means I've been with the Bay for more than 30 years.”

Jennings turned out for the primary school side in 1981, before progressing to the under-16, secondary schools, under-18 and colts sides during the following years.

He played more than 40 games for the Steamers in a senior career spanning 17 years with Tauranga Old Boys, then the newly amalgamated Tauranga Sports, then moving into the union's coaching ranks.

As a player he counts the Steamers winning promotion to the first division in 2000 among his finest memories, along with a near thing in a Ranfurly Shield clash against a star-studded Waikato side in 1998.

'We ran them close; we only lost late in a preseason game that we were supposed to get a hiding in.

'I remember that game pretty vividly, actually. They had a great team and we didn't have a hope in everyone else's mind – though we obviously thought we could beat them.”

Since, highlights have come working with successive generations of young Bay players who have gone on to accomplish plenty in the game.

'I've really enjoyed it, there's been some really outstanding young men that I've met and worked with. That's something I've really loved.

'There's a lot of great guys across the region that have gone on to do really well. It's nice to have worked with them along the way.”

Jennings counts as chief among those accomplishments to be Tanerau Latimer and Sam Cane becoming All Blacks; Luke Braid winning IRB international junior player of the year; Toby Arnold winning a gold medal in sevens at the Commonwealth Games; Braid and Cane winning the Golden Boot for the best player in a New Zealand Secondary Schools test against Australia; and being able to retain key players within the region.

This year's squad may not have the same number of high profile players as past years, but Jennings believes the sum of the side will be even greater than the collection of its parts.

'The Steamers look like they've got a good side. It's probably the best lot of young guys that we have had in the academy in terms of having good trainers with a good work ethic.

'They work for each other. In the past we have had a few more superstars than we have now, but this is a pretty good group I think. There's some guys in this group that, because of how hard they work and their attitude, will go a long way hopefully.”

Jennings, who has signed with Georgia for two and a half years, will be joined abroad by partner and AIMS Games tournament director Vicki Semple at the conclusion of this year's intermediate school sporting festival, but both will return to the Bay for a month twice a year, with his children set to visit in the school holidays.

He vows to return for a longer period of time, though.

'This is my home – I'll definitely be back. When that will be I'm not too sure, but I'm looking to be back in December and January for the sevens to watch the boys play.”

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