Morgan, Poching land Kiwis RL appointments

Justin Morgan and Willie Poching have been named as assistants to newly-appointed New Zealand rugby league coach Stephen Kearney.

Former Hull KR boss Justin Morgan and current assistant Willie Poching have been appointed as assistants to new Kiwis head coach David Kidwell.

Morgan, 41, who was in charge of Rovers from 2005-11 and took them into Super League, will be in charge of the backs.

Poching, 37, who will lose his club job after Saturday's Million-Pound Game, will be forwards coach under Kidwell for New Zealand's Test match against Australia in Perth on October 15 and the Four Nations tour to England.

Morgan lost his assistant coaching role with New Zealand Warriors following the recent appointment of Stephen Kearney as head coach, after previously working as No.2 at Melbourne and Canberra following his return to Australia.

"Justin brings great experience, holding a head coaching position in Super League and being involved with the Storm and Warriors," said Kidwell, who has succeeded Kearney.

Poching, a former New Zealand and Samoa international, has spent the last 17 years in England, initially as a player with Wakefield and Leeds and the last six as an assistant coach with Warrington, Leeds and Hull KR.

Poching, who coached Samoa in 2009, was caretaker coach of the Robins for a month following the departure of Chris Chester in February but was told in July that he would not be part of the new coaching set-up at the Lightstream Stadium for 2017.

"Willie has so much experience as an assistant coach in the Super League and as a former Kiwi and captain of Samoa he knows what international footy is all about," Kidwell added.

"Both of these guys are great people who will complement my coaching style."


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