By Jonathan B Geddes

As they prepare to go head-to-head in the biggest Shute Shield showdown in years, Eastern Suburbs coach Ben Batger and his Warringah rival Josh Holmes have revealed their interest in a role with the NSW Waratahs next season.

The revelation by Rugby News adds even more spice to the grand final rematch at Rat Park on Saturday in one of the most anticipated club games in years.

NSW is looking for a new head coach and attack coach for 2027 following the departures of Dan McKellar and Mike Catt after the Waratahs’ underachieving Super Rugby campaign.

Batger and Holmes are former Waratahs players who have both won Shute Shield premierships as players and head coaches.

Under their guidance this season, Warringah and Easts have been the two clear standout teams in the Shute Shield.

The pair should both be in contention for a call-up into the Waratahs’ system. Two other current Shute Shield coaches already identified as being in the mix are Sydney University’s experienced John Manenti and Zak Beer from Northern Suburbs, who coached the NSW A side this year.

SHUTING FOR THE STARS           

JUST as Australian players need a career path, so too do aspirational coaches, for whom opportunities to get to the next level are far harder to come by.

It would be a very positive and encouraging move for a Shute Shield coach to get their chance in Super Rugby at the Waratahs, rather than signing another overseas import – who often promise the world but deliver an atlas.         

“There is an attack role and a head coach role going there, and I’d like to throw my hat into the ring for both,” Batger told Rugby News.

“Realistically, the attack role is probably more for someone out of clubland, and I’d like to think I would be a top contender.

“From my understanding, they probably want someone with a bit more experience for the head coaching role because it is a bit of a rebuild.

“I’d love to be part of the organisation; I played for them, and now I have been coaching for five or six years. I want to think I’ve got a reasonable record.”

He said the Waratahs are in a bit of a similar situation to Eastern Suburbs when he arrived at Woollahra.

“Everyone said Easts need a culture change and they haven’t won a lot recently,” Batger said.

“Albeit in a semi-professional environment, we were able to change that and turn Easts into a winning organisation.”

The Waratahs’ vacancies have also caught the eye of rising coach Holmes, who guided Warringah to last year’s impressive grand final win over this Saturday’s opponents, Easts.

His success has come without a large influx of Super Rugby players.   

“It’s definitely something that I’m interested in looking at,” Holmes said.

“I’m obviously very keen to go to the next level.”

The immediate priority for both Batger and Holmes is plotting each other’s downfall in the clash between first-placed Warringah and Easts, who are one point behind, running second, in a game that could ultimately decide the minor premiership.