James Marshall & Hoani MacDonald named as Mako assistant coaches

Tasman Rugby Union has named former Tasman Mako player, James Marshall, and former Southland Stags player and coach, Hoani MacDonald as the 2022 Tasman Mako assistants to co-head coaches Dan Perrin and Gray Cornelius.

James Marshall, Mako # 57, played 36 games for the Tasman Mako scoring 45 points from 2008 – 2011. He represented NZ Sevens in 2 games in 2011.

A move to Taranaki in 2012 saw him in the team that defeated the Mako in the 2012 Ranfurly Shield challenge and he went on to captain his adopted province. From there he was selected for the Hurricanes playing 54 matches. James as played in Italy, England and Japan.

Last season James was a part of the Mako coaching group as skills coach and also has a big role at Nelson College with their rugby program under Jono Phillips.

James lives in Nelson with his wife and young family and hosts a hugely popular sports podcast, ‘What A Lad’.

Hoani lives in Blenheim, his wife’s hometown, having returned with his family from Japan and is currently doing development work with Marlborough clubs and players in the Indevin Marlborough High Performance Academy.

A lock / loose forward he played 52 games for the Southland Stags, 33 for the Highlanders and also played for the Melbourne Rebels and Newport Gwent in Wales.

He represented the Maori All Blacks from 2004 -2008 and the Junior All Blacks in 2006 and 2007.

He also head coached at Southland for 2 seasons from 2016 and in Japan.

Hoani brings heaps of rugby nous as well as a great work ethic to the coaching group and will play a big role with the forwards.