Jono Gibbes was 'caught off guard' by La Rochelle approach ahead of Waikato return
Jono Gibbes is back in Waikato after 10 years coaching in Ireland and France.
The last thing Jono Gibbes expected was to find himself holding talks with La Rochelle on France's west coast in his final week as Ulster head coach in May.
The former Chiefs and Waikato stalwart had his heart on home after cutting his teeth as a coach for 10 years in Ireland and France following his retirement from playing in 2008.
Waikato in March announced their former captain would indeed be returning to New Zealand, as the next Mooloos head coach, but Gibbes' time "back in a place that means a hell of a lot" to him will be brief because the 41-year-old has since signed a deal to become La Rochelle's director of rugby for their next four seasons.
Gibbes was announced as the next Waikato head coach in March.
Gibbes will depart for France in November after Waikato's Mitre 10 Cup campaign and he revealed getting approached from the glamorous French club was a bolt from the blue.
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"It was an unsolicited approach that caught me off guard a little bit," Gibbes said in his first interview since returning to the corridors of FMG Stadium Waikato, the venue of some great triumphs during the eight-test All Black's eight-year playing career.
"Enquiries about availabilities and job opportunities happens a lot in coaching," he added.
"Some you don't pay too much attention to; some are worthy of further investigation. A club like La Rochelle is a fantastic opportunity professionally.
"The timing of it is what caught me off guard, but that sort of thing happens, and just being back here and having the time at home to work for Waikato, that's massively important."
Gibbes back in his playing days for Waikato in 2006.
Gibbes went for talks with La Rochelle just days before his final match in charge of Ulster, a European Champions Cup play-off against Ospreys, and the move was met with some dismay in Belfast.
It prompted former Ireland and Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris to negatively say Gibbes had "some nerve" and the meeting appeared to surprise Waikato Rugby Union CEO Blair Foote.
But the former Mooloos skipper would head home for the personal reasons he had discussed with Ulster.
Gibbes will return to Europe, and France, to become La Rochelle's director of rugby from November.
Gibbes said "it wasn't a career decision".
"It was a big driver for me to have a period where I was at home and be closer to people that are pretty important to me. That was the motivating factor.
"I came back to New Zealand to be around my family. As a consequence of being in New Zealand, it coincided with coaching Waikato, which was very fortunate for me."
Can Gibbes inspire the Mooloos to more glory days?
Gibbes is living in Te Awamutu before his family head to La Rochelle and it's with their approval that he agreed to sign a deal with the Top 14 club, who said recruiting him was their top priority after the departure of former head coach Patrice Collazo.
"It's worked out in a way that is positive for me, professionally," he said. "For the family, it's an opportunity that I've been given, with their blessing, to pursue. Their opinion matters a hell of a lot to me.
"It still gives me the five-month opportunity to invest in Waikato and do the best I possibly can in this campaign."
Gibbes spent three years (2014-17) in France when he was forwards coach for Clermont Auvergne, who were French champions in 2017.
When asked if his grasp of the French language was scratchy, Gibbes replied it's just "genuinely bad", but he said his family loved living in Clermont.
But Waikato is where Gibbes calls home and he will lead the Mooloos in 2018, at least.
"I would like to be coming home one day. To be employed in rugby would be great but we'll just wait and see."
AT A GLANCE
Timeline of events since Waikato appointed Jono Gibbes
March 5: Gibbes was announced as Waikato's new head coach on a two-year deal after Sean Botherway resigned.
May 22: Foote said the WRU can't discuss Gibbes' future until his scheduled return to New Zealand on May 25.
May 30: La Rochelle revealed they're still searching for a new director of rugby when announcing that former All Black Jason Eaton has taken on a coaching role at the French club after his retirement.
- Stuff
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