The coach who went to China

Former Matatū coach Blair Baxter returned from China knowing there was a Super Rugby Aupiki winner’s medal at home as a tangible reminder of what he left behind.

Baxter's eight-month contract as an assistant with the China women’s sevens team ended on November 30, and now he'’ back with his family near Lincoln in Canterbury to assess his options.

He says he hasn’t got a gig lined up. There are no regrets.

Prior to working under fellow Kiwi Sean Horan, who was the Chinese team’s head coach, Baxter had spent six years with Canterbury Rugby. This included three years as the Canterbury women’s NPC coach, and two in charge of the Matatū.

His time with the Matatū ended on the sweetest of notes. Having trailed 19-0 after 20 minutes in the final in Hamilton on March 25, the Matatū counter-punched to win 33-31. It was a spectacular result. But Baxter was preparing to cut his ties.

He later announced he would join four other assistants in working under Horan in the Chinese programme. Whitney Hansen has since been appointed coach of the Matatū.

“Like any role, it’s not always going to be rainbows and unicorns. But the good outweighs the tough times,'” Baxter said in reference to his stint in China.

“The athletes were incredible. Their desire to get up and work hard every day was mind-blowing. I don't think New Zealand athletes would train as hard, or as long.'”

Horan, who coached the Black Ferns Sevens team when they won gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016, had prior experience of working with the Chinese.

The team’s major goals were to qualify for next year's Olympics in Paris and to win gold at the Asian Games.

They beat Japan to achieve the latter, but were pipped by them in the Asia Rugby regional qualification tournament last month. Now China will have to win the Final Olympic Qualification Tournament next year to claim the 12th and final berth for Paris.

“We were extremely disappointed as staff,” Baxter reflected. “We did, and still believe, we were good enough to beat Japan, but in that moment, they were just too good.

“A large proportion of the players were extremely upset and disappointed, and worried they wouldn't get there. But some of them were OK with it, because they knew there was a repêchage.

“It was quite a weird situation, actually.” The Chinese team had a couple of camps in New Zealand and Australia, and played in tournaments in South Africa and Asia.

When in China, they were based at the Olympic training facility that was constructed ahead of the 2008 Beijing Games.

Around nine provinces in China have rugby programmes for women, and high school athletes in single-discipline sports such as the 400m, hurdles, javelin or shooting get shoulder-tapped to have a crack at sevens. If they’re interested, they will get paid and can potentially be selected for the national programme.

Baxter was uncertain whether he or any of the other coaches would be asked to prepare the team for the Olympic qualification event. “I am not sure if they will go back to the Chinese staff or look elsewhere after that.”