Fox appointed as Blues deputy
July 17, 2001

New Blues Super 12 assistant rugby coach Grant Fox has shied away from making dramatic promises about the team's prospects next season.

The former All Blacks and Auckland flyhalf was on Tuesday confirmed as Peter Sloane's assistant at the Blues, who slumped to 11th in this year's competition under Frank Oliver and John Kirwan.

Fox, who has been appointed to the Blues for two seasons, will continue as assistant to Auckland's NPC coach Wayne Pivac, who was overlooked in favour of Sloane for the Blues' job.

Fox, 39, said he had no previous links with Sloane, but after talking to the former Highlanders boss, he believed they had common coaching philosophies.

Fox said continuing to mould the NPC provinces of Northland, North Harbour and Auckland together would be one of the tasks he and Sloane had to deal with.

``I'm not going to say we will make the top four next year,'' Fox said.

``I do believe that can happen,'' he added.

But turning things around would depend on hard work from the coaches, the players and everyone else in the Blues franchise. He had always set himself tough challenges and that's what the Blues faced.

``I never set out to have coaching as a career path,'' Fox said.

``I got into it because I wanted to help Auckland rugby ... now this has come a long a bit earlier than I thought it would, but I'm just as passionate about the Blues.''

Blues chief executive David White said the franchise wanted someone who ``complemented Peter Sloane's coaching skills and who had strong tactical and analytical skills and knowledge of the players in the Blues region''.

It is not the first time Fox has had to form an instant coaching partnership. Auckland threw him and Pivac together when they guided the province to the NPC title in 1999.

Auckland lost to eventual NPC champions Wellington in the semifinals in 2000. - Sapa.AFP

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.