News

Brad Mooar set to take up Head Coach role at Scarlets

Details Published: 03 December 2018

BNZ Crusaders Assistant Coach Brad Mooar has confirmed the 2019 Investec Super Rugby season will be his last with the club, having been offered the position of Head Coach with Welsh club, Scarlets.



Mooar said the opportunity to further his coaching career in the Northern Hemisphere following the 2019 season is exciting for his young family: “It’s never an easy decision to step away from an environment that means so much to you and, come the end of the Super Rugby season, the moment will no doubt be bittersweet. However the opportunity to take on the role of Head Coach at the Scarlets is simply too good to pass up and is both an exciting challenge for myself, and a fantastic opportunity for my family to experience life on the other side of the world.



“Scarlets is a winning club with an extremely proud history, passionate fans, and is aspirational in its goals. It is humbling to be offered the opportunity to take the reins after the great work Wayne Pivac has led, as he moves on to the Wales job.



“I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved during my time at the Crusaders, and I’m certainly focussed and looking forward to one final campaign alongside this special group of coaches, management and players," Mooar said.







BNZ Crusaders Chairman Grant Jarrold acknowledged Mooar’s important contribution to the club: “Brad has not only been an integral member of the Crusaders coaching group over the past three seasons, he is a popular member of our wider organisation and our extended Crusaders family.



“We’re fortunate he won’t be leaving us just yet and will remain in the Assistant Coach role for the 2019 campaign, but Brad, Anna and family will depart at the end of the season with our heartfelt thanks and very best wishes,” Mr Jarrold said.



BNZ Crusaders Head Coach Scott Robertson congratulated Mooar on his new role: “Brad is such an important part of the Crusaders leadership team - he’s intelligent, insightful and is hugely respected by the playing group and management alike.



“While we’ll miss him, this is an amazing opportunity for Brad to step in to the top job as a Head Coach, and his Crusaders family will have plenty of motivation to send him out on the best possible note at the end of this season,” Robertson said.



Mooar’s coaching career began with the Christchurch Rugby Club Colts team in 2007, and he progressed onto the Club’s premier team, before becoming the Assistant Coach of the Canterbury Colts in 2011. In 2012 he moved to South Africa to coach the Eastern Province Kings to a Currie Cup Division 1 title, then became Assistant Coach of the Southern Kings Super Rugby side.



It was announced that Mooar would join the Crusaders’ coaching group as Assistant Coach from the 2016 season, following his time as Head Coach and Director of Rugby at Rugby Southland. After securing back to back Super Rugby titles in the 2017 and 2018 seasons, Mooar has recently returned from a successful campaign as Head Coach of the 2018 NZ Secondary Schools’ team.



NZ Rugby Head of Professional Rugby, Chris Lendrum, said: “Brad has balanced the demands of a successful Super Rugby coaching role with some phenomenal work within our Barbarians and New Zealand Secondary schools’ programmes in recent seasons.



“This is a wonderful opportunity for Brad to add to his coaching skillset abroad, and build on the strong leadership qualities he has displayed during his time with both the Crusaders and New Zealand Rugby. We wish him all the very best as he takes the next step in his coaching career,” Lendrum said.