 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William Mila Poching[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1973-08-30)30 August 1973 (age 51) Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.82 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 16 st 3 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Second-row | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaching information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As of 13 September 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Willie Poching is a New Zealand professionalrugby league football coach and former player. He is the former head-coach ofWakefield Trinity in theSuper League. When he was appointed head coach of Wakefield, he became the first Samoan head coach of a first grade rugby league club.[4] A formerNew Zealand, and Samoa international representative forward, he spent his career playing for clubs in New Zealand, Australia and finally England, winning the Super League championship with Leeds Rhinos in 2004.[2]
Poching played for theNorthcote Tigers,Marist Saints andMount Albert Lions in theAuckland Rugby League competition.[5] He made theJunior Kiwis in 1991 and captained the side in 1992. He played in 4 games forAuckland between 1992 and 1993, before signing a junior contract with theBrisbane Broncos for 1994. During that year he toured New Zealand with Western Samoa and captained them in a game against aManawatu XIII.[6] Poching represented theJunior Kiwis in 1991 and 1992, captaining the side in 1992.
He joined theAuckland Warriors in 1995, however he only played two games for the club and was not re-signed for the 1996 season. Poching played forWestern Samoa at the1995 World Cup, and also captained Samoa during their2000 World Cup.
Over his long career Poching played forWakefield Trinity (captain) and was a huge crowd favourite and club captain for his final season. He then joined theLeeds club in theSuper League. Poching played for the Leeds side from the interchange bench in their2004 Super League Grand Final victory against theBradford club. AsSuper League IX champions, the Leeds club faced2004 NRL season premiers, theCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the2005 World Club Challenge. Poching played from the interchange bench, scoring atry in Leeds 39-32 victory. Poching played for Leeds side in the2005 Challenge Cup Final from the interchange bench in their loss againstHull FC.[7] He played forLeeds atsecond-row in their2005 Super League Grand Final loss againstBradford. He played his single game forNew Zealand againstEngland atHalliwell Jones Stadium,Warrington during the2005 Tri-Nations campaign. Poching was forced to retire due to injury at the completion of 2006 season.
Poching was the academy coach at Leeds as well as the head coach ofSamoa.[8] He moved from Leeds to become assistant coach toTony Smith at theWarrington club in the 2010 post season, andcoached the team to win theLeague Leader's Shield in 2011,Challenge Cup in 2012, and to two Grand Final defeats in2012 (to Leeds) and2013 (to Wigan). Poching signed as assistant coach at theSalford side for the 2017 season. He later re-joinedHull Kingston Rovers andTony Smith as assistant coach before returning toWakefield Trinity as an interim head coach.[9] Poching was named head coach on 22 September 2021 after a successful interim stint.[10]On 12 September 2022, Poching announced he was departing Wakefield Trinity. The club finished 10th on the table and narrowly avoided relegation to theRFL Championship.[11]
Poching father Eddie was the first manager of theSamoa national rugby league team.[12]
Poching gave son Kobe Poching, his Super League debut in the Boxing Day 2021 clash between Wakefield and Leeds.[13]
Coaching positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
