Harlequins hire Hurricanes attack coach Cooper days after Super Rugby title triumph

Harlequins have appointed Brad Cooper as their new attack coach, the club confirmed, with the New Zealander arriving at the Stoop fresh from guiding the Hurricanes to the Super Rugby Pacific title — a 60-5 victory over the Chiefs in Saturday’s final.

Cooper spent two seasons overseeing the Hurricanes’ attack, during which the Wellington side averaged 41 points and 6.4 tries per game through the regular season and became the first Super Rugby team to surpass 100 tries in a single campaign, finishing with 114 under his direction.

His appointment is part of a broader coaching overhaul at Harlequins. Robbie Deans is set to arrive as performance director, Rob Hunter will take charge of the forwards, Sean Long returns as skills and transition coach, Jordan Turner-Hall leads the defence, and Jason Gilmore remains as head coach. Cooper takes over the attack brief from fellow New Zealander Nick Evans, who ended an 18-year association with the club earlier this year.

“I’m really excited to be joining Harlequins,” Cooper said. “Having spoken with Jason and the coaching group about the vision for this team, it’s clear there’s a real ambition here to play rugby with tempo, and that’s exactly the environment I want to be part of.”

Cooper acknowledged that leaving Wellington was not straightforward. “Leaving the Hurricanes after a fantastic couple of years, which was capped with a Super Rugby title this weekend, wasn’t an easy decision. But this is a great chance to help shape an attacking identity at a club with such history, and test myself as a coach in the northern hemisphere.”

He added that Harlequins’ attacking tradition was a significant draw. “I’ve watched Quins from afar and I know the DNA of this club is built on ambitious, attacking rugby — that’s a huge part of what drew me here.”

Gilmore welcomed the signing with confidence. “He’s spent the last two seasons at the Hurricanes, one of the most exciting and expansive attacking teams in Super Rugby, and he’s been a real part of what they’ve built there. The tempo, the ambition, the ability to create and finish — that resonates strongly with what Harlequins stands for, and Brad has lived it, developed it and delivered it at a high level.”