McKay on his way to Japan
Following the apointment of Allister Coetzee to the Springboks, McKay will take over the reigns at Steelers – which marks a new era for the Steelers – who will be aiming to capture their first Top League title since 2003/04.
Considered one of the best attacking minds in the world, McKay was instrumental in the Reds' historic Super Rugby title success in 2011. Credited for the attacking system that fostered the development of a number of key internationals, including Quade Cooper and Will Genia.
2013 McKay was promoted to revive the Wallabies attack, only a few months into the job the Wallabies scored a record 17 tries in their five-game 2013 Tour of the UK and Europe, one of many records broken during his tenure.
McKay also experienced success as a coaching consultant. This included at the Worcester Warriors, where he helped them gain promotion back into the Premiership, and for the Tongan national team at the 2015 World Cup and Pan Pacific tournaments.
Commenting on his new role as coach of the Steelers, McKay said: "To be appointed to the Kobelco Steelers is a great honour and I look forward to the challenge of adding to the strong legacy of the club. It's a great opportunity and one I am confident this team can achieve over time through the collective efforts and hard work of our players and staff. At the same time, it’s important we develop a brand of rugby that engages our fans and makes them proud supporters of the club,"
McKay's move to Japan come at a crucial time for Japanese Rugby.
"It is a really exciting time to become involved in Japanese Rugby, following the success by the national team at the World Cup and also through the inclusion of the Sunwolves in Super Rugby. There is a real opportunity to grow the sport over the next few years, headlined by the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan," he stated.
Just as exciting about the appointment is Seiji Hirao, General Manager of the Kobelco Steelers, said: "After the resigning of previous coach Allistair Coetzee, we are pleased to be welcoming Jim McKay as the new head coach. He has a great coaching record as the assistant coach at the Wallabies and the Queensland Reds,"
He added: "We have built up the core of the team in last couple of seasons. Fostering an attacking style of rugby, which is the best asset of McKay, will allow us to further develop the team while creating our own brand of rugby as the Kobelco Steelers. We hope that maximizing the potential of our players, creating new team spirits and a winning culture will be done by the coach who has excellence both in name and in reality like McKay."
