Former All Black Carlos Spencer will join the Hurricanes coaching ranks for 2019, as the team welcomes fresh ideas for the new season. The former Blues player from Ngāti Kahungunu is excited to join the Wellington-based team.
Spencer says, “As a youngster growing up and playing for Horowhenua I always thought I would come and play here. My favourite player was Bernie Fraser, he was my hero growing up."
He says, "I got a call from Graham Henry giving me an opportunity when I was just 18 years old so he gave me that opportunity and the rest is history.”
The descendant from Ngāti Kahungunu now has that opportunity to now have a part in his home franchise, as the assistant coach for the Hurricanes next year.
“I made the decision pretty quickly it was an easy decision for myself, this club is going places and they've been successful in the past, they have decent stock here and they have a good coaching team, it was an easy decision,” explains Spencer.
Current assistant coach John Plumtree who will take over the duties of head coach for 2019 is ecstatic about the new appointment and mentioned that this year is just a sign of bigger and better things to come.
“Every year is a new page, we'll start again next year, what happens for us this year may not work next year, we're just working to get better and hopefully Carlos can help us with that,” says Plumtree.
The former All Blacks last involvement in Super Rugby format was his cameo for the Blues at the Brisbane Global Tens in February this year.
He has played nearly 100 games for the Blues side and helped them win their last title in 2003.
Spencer is expected to oversee the backline in the new year.