Experienced Super Rugby trainer Phil Healey has been named to join the Blues with coaches Tana Umaga, Tom Coventry and Leon Macdonald.

Healey, former Chiefs strength and conditioning coach and currently at Glasgow Warriors in Scotland, will join the Blues for the next two years to lead the club’s strength and conditioning programme.

Healey was head strength and conditioning coach at the Chiefs for nine years and a key part of their two Super Rugby titles along with reaching the playoffs five times. He has spent two years with Dave Rennie at the Glasgow Warriors in UK and will return to New Zealand with his family before the start of the 2019 pre-season.

Blues General Manager High Performance, Tony Hanks said Healey will be an important contributor in the quality support group at the Blues.

“Phil played a significant role in the rise of Chiefs rugby over the last decade and was widely praised for their physical preparedness which will be an absolute key component under the new format for Super Rugby next season. He and his family wanted to return home and put his name in the hat for the role.”