The Tasman Makos coaching staff will have a local look for the 2009 season with Bevan Cadwallader and Kieran Keane announced today as co-coaches.
Nelson-based Cadwallader steps up from the assistant coaches position which he has filled since the formation of the Tasman Rugby Union in 2006 while Marlborough's Keane brings extensive coaching experience to the Makos' staff.
Keane's most recent coaching roles have been with the highly-successful Marlborough Boys' College first 15 and the Marlborough Red Devils 2006.
He coached the Hawkes Bay NPC team from 2002 to 2004 and has also previously manned the helm of New Zealand under 16 and is a selector for the New Zealand under 20 team.
Cadwallader was assistant coach of Nelson Bays from 2002 to 2005 and served as Todd Blackadder's assistant last season with the Makos after working with Dennis Brown in 2006 and 2007.
Tasman Rugby Union chief executive officer, Peter Barr, said the union went through a thorough process in selecting Cadwallader and Keane and they were pleased to be able to appoint two capable coaches from within the Tasman region.