Former All Blacks playmaker Carlos Spencer has confirmed he is taking up a coaching job in the United States.
The 46-year-old – who scored 291 points in 35 tests between 1995 and 2004 – will become an assistant-coach for the New Orleans Gold Major League Rugby (MLR) club, known as NOLA Gold.
“After recently coaching in South Africa, Japan, and New Zealand, I look forward to bringing all my experience and skill to the NOLA Gold outfit…working with coach Nate Osborne, the management group, and most of all the players,’’ Spencer said in a social media post.
“I’m really excited about the challenge ahead. Hopefully, we can create some memorable moments for our fans and supporters, I can’t wait to get over there.’’
NOLA Gold finished third in the six-team MRL eastern conference in 2021.
French club Clermont Auvergne are a minority shareholder.
Spencer steered the Blues to three Super Rugby titles and was locked in a duel with Andrew Mehrtens for the All Blacks’ No 10 jumper.
He played for clubs in England and South Africa after his All Blacks career, coached the Lions, Sharks and Eastern Province Kings in South Africa, was on the coaching staff at Japanese club Munakata Sanix Blues before spending two seasons as a Hurricanes coaching assistant.
He was made redundant by the Hurricanes after three games in 2020 due to financial uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Spencer, who grew up in Levin, has recently been living with his family in the Waikato region.
The MLR competition has 12 teams, with the Los Angeles Giltinis the current champions.