Hanks to help out Wasps

Waikato coach Tony Hanks is to spend five months coaching at Wasps.

The 37-year-old will be on secondment to the Guinness Premiership outfit to relieve the coaching workload on Ian McGeechan and Shaun Edwards.

Hanks will provide cover when McGeechan organises his Lions squad and Edwards is away coaching Wales during November's Tests and the Six Nations campaign.

Waikato Rugby Union chief executive Graham Bowen said: "The secondment for Tony to work with Wasps in the coming months is a great professional development opportunity for him.

"He will be exposed to a different environment and I'm sure he will return to Waikato with some new ideas."

Hanks will start work with the club on November 1 and is due to return to New Zealand in March to prepare for Waikato's Air New Zealand Cup campaign.