Southern Steel coach Reinga Bloxham is not backing down if offered the assistant coaching role for the Silver Ferns. She affiliates to Ngāti Kahungunu and has already won back-to-back titles in the New Zealand domestic competition.
Bloxham says, “Any franchise coach would jump at the opportunity to be involved with Noeline in the Silver Ferns campaign if they could be. So definitely would love to have an opportunity to get in there.”
She's led the Southern Steel to two consecutive premierships since Noeline Taurua departed for the Sunny Coast. At that time Reinga was her assistant.
“When we had Noel's here as our head coach and then she left, I just knew she was going to be a really supportive person for me going into that head coach role and she was willing to be that person I needed to lean on and offer that support.”
Since the Silver Ferns have their coach from last week's announcement, Bloxham couldn't be happier with the outcome.
“She's going to provide something new, something exciting. I know those players will be really excited that she's going to be leading them through this next wee journey. She just provides a lot of energy.”
Taurua expects to announce her assistant coach in the next week.