He’s been immersed in rugby’s talent pond for the best part of two decades but now Tony Hanks is diving into an all-new aquatic adventure.

The 49-year-old Aucklander, most recently general manager of high performance at the Blues Super Rugby franchise, has just been appointed to take over Canoe Slalom New Zealand’s high performance programme.

Hanks is excited about the chance to work with New Zealand’s top kayaking talent, including the likes of Olympic-bound paddlers Callum Gilbert and Luuka Jones, bringing vast high performance experience to the role.

“People see the top end of rugby in New Zealand, where you can earn a good living and not have to pay for venue hire or expensive equipment, but it actually has a lot of similarities with other sports, in terms of the challenges of providing support and opportunities to rising talent,” Hanks said. “There’s still a lot to learn from both sports and it’s also clear the people who make it to the top in canoe slalom do so with a huge amount of personal sacrifice, mixed in with some amazing passion.”

Hanks’ rugby resume includes stints as head coach with both Waikato and England’s Sale Sharks, a director of rugby role with London Wasps and technical roles with the Junior All Blacks and the Chiefs. He also has his own consultancy business, still contracting to the Blues and Japanese club Honda Heat.

Canoe slalom may have an entirely different set of skills but he’s been hugely impressed following the careers of Jones and two-time Olympian Mike Dawson.

“Although it’s dominated by Europeans, it’s also a sport that is a real Kiwi thing to do, getting out onto the water and mixing it up in rapids.  I also like it that there’s not a particular type of top athlete – they can have vastly different body shapes, different skill-sets and different ways of approaching the sport.  That’s really healthy.”

Canoe Slalom New Zealand chairman Kerry Bloor was delighted with the high calibre of applicants for the high performance role and knows Hanks will be a great addition to the sport.

“Tony’s people skills and engagement are really impressive and he’s operated in a number of high-pressure, intense high performance roles during his career,” Bloor said. “He’s going to bring genuine professionalism and passion to the role and we’re really excited to see how he can help push our sport forward.”

Hanks has already met most of the national high performance squad – turning down a cheeky invitation from Jones to paddle the rapids at the Vector Wero Whitewater Centre – and is keen to get out and attend some of the club events kicking back off around the country.

“Covid has thrown up some considerable hurdles and uncertainty, including the lack of international travel and events, so we need to be adaptable, innovative and maximise opportunities when they come up. While the role is focussed significantly on high performance, I’m really interested in getting to some local events and clubs, to meet people and better understand the intricacies of the sport and why people paddle.  And a lot of our high performance programmes and systems will hopefully be able to cascade down to grassroots level, so that young paddlers can clearly see they have a pathway if they want it.”

Jamie Troughton

Article added: Friday 07 August 2020