Former All Black and Hurricane Jason O’Halloran is the new high performance academy manager for Manawatu rugby.

An All Black in 2000, O’Halloran has spent the last two seasons coaching in Japan with the Kubota Club and in New Zealand has a regional playing background that started with the Hurricanes in 1996 as a second five. With Manawatu he will oversee all of the unions academy programmes, nurture the next generation of Turbos and ensure that the union has the appropriate plans in place to achieve long term regional success.

“We are fortunate to have someone with a strong academic, playing and coaching background that has agreed to bring his qualifications and skills into the Manawatu,” CEO Hadyn Smith says.

“Like many rugby enthusiasts he sees Manawatu’s progress in the Air New Zealand Cup as a real opportunity and we are really excited by the credibility, passion and skills that Jason will bring to the position and this union.”

O’Halloran is also excited by the opportunity and is looking forward to the challenges that the whole process will bring to the development of this union’s local players.

“I’m very happy to be joining the team at Manawatu rugby and using my experience and background to ensure that the Manawatu union invests and develops its immense talent pool locally,” O’Halloran says.

“I’m excited by the challenge and the opportunity and really looking forward to working alongside the local high schools, Dave Rennie, Bruce Hemara and Tony Milligan.