Makos coach Kieran Keane leaves with Tasman's blessing
Kieran Keane, right, is heading to the Chiefs in 2016, with Leon MacDonald, left, set to assume the head coaching role with the Tasman Makos.
The Tasman Makos are losing their most successful coach, with chief executive Tony Lewis confirming that Kieran Keane is heading to the Chiefs next year.
Rumours had been rife that 61-year-old Keane, who took Tasman to the ITM Cup final last year, would be replacing Chiefs assistant coach Tom Coventry at the Super Rugby franchise in 2016.
Those rumours escalated further when he was spotted live on TV in the Chiefs coaching box during a game.
But it wasn't until yesterday that it was finally confirmed.
"He goes with our blessing. We're sorry to lose him," Lewis said. "The staff will miss his various moods. He's gregarious, outgoing, fun, frustrating - all the things you expect a coach to be.
"He's probably the best technical coach in New Zealand at present, I'd say."
Lewis said the Chiefs were "very professional" in their approach, requesting to speak with Lewis about Keane's suitability before asking if it was okay for them to speak to the man himself directly.
"Obvious we waxed lyrically about him. We informed Kieran of the conversation and it went from there," Lewis explained.
"From our perspective it's a bit like the players; you grab them at club level, you let them grow at ITM and you send them to Super and you want them to become All Blacks and it's no different with Kieran Keane."
During Keane's five-year tenure with the Makos, he won the second-tier championship, earned promotion to the top-tier premiership, took them to the premiership final in 2014, which they lost to Taranaki, and helped promote more than 15 players to Super Rugby.
Though his record speaks for itself, Lewis said he hoped Keane would be remembered as someone who gave his "heart and soul" to the Tasman Makos' cause.
"He will always be remembered fondly from everyone at the Makos."
Former All Blacks fullback and current Tasman assistant coach Leon MacDonald will take the helm of the Makos for the 2016 season.
It will be Keane's second stint at Super Rugby level, having spent a couple of seasons at the Highlanders working under Jamie Joseph.
Keane and MacDonald will continue to operate in their current roles with Tasman for the upcoming ITM Cup campaign.
