Rhys Morgan appointed head coach of Canterbury Magicians

Rhys Morgan has been appointed head coach of Canterbury Magicians for the 2020-21 season, the club announced on Tuesday (August 25). The former Wellington representative, who previously coached the Fiji men's women's and Under-19 teams, and worked as a batting consultant with Bangladesh's Test team, will start his new role on September 1.



Within New Zealand's domestic circuit he has previously worked will the Wellington men's and women's Under-19 sides and also coached the women's A side.



"I’m really excited to move south and get stuck into it," Morgan said. "The Magicians are a side with huge potential and I’m looking forward to playing my part and seeing how well they can do."



"My goal is to make a positive difference on everyone’s game, and if I can do that, then I’m sure we’ll see some good results along the way.”



The former Wellington batter will take over from Ben Rapson, who worked with the side in 2019-20.



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“Rhys’ coaching experience and the qualities he brings to the table with regards to his coaching skill set is going to be valuable for this side,” Marty Crow, Canterbury Cricket high performance manager, said. “Rhys understands what it takes to coach at different development levels, across both male and female environments."



“His experience in the women’s game, as well as his proven ability to create learning environments that progress individual talent and promote team success is an exciting prospect for the Magicians."



Having reached the final of the T20 competition in 2018-19, Canterbury had a disappointing 2019-20 season, managing only two wins in 10 games to finish at the bottom of the table. Their performances through the Hallyburton Johnston Shield were much better, as the Frankie Mackay-led side notched up five wins through the group stage. They finished third on the points table, with 24 points, narrowly missing out on a place in the final.