Hansen appointed new All Blacks coach
The New Zealand Rugby Union have appointed Steve Hansen as the new coach of the world champion All Blacks, replacing Graham Henry.
The New Zealand Rugby Union have appointed Steve Hansen as the new coach of the world champion All Blacks, replacing Graham Henry.
Graham Henry has quit as coach of the All Blacks after their World Cup win, ending one of the most successful rugby coaching careers of all time.
Concerns over All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw's injury have been allayed by news that he will be playing in the World Cup semifinal against Australia.
All Black coach Graham Henry fired a parting shot at retiring flanker Jerry Collins, saying the tough loose forward was in poor form and would not have made the first New Zealand squad of the season. Henry named a 25-man squad on Tuesday to begin preparations for mid-season Tests, excluding players from the Crusaders.
All Blacks enforcer Jerry Collins announced his retirement from New Zealand rugby Monday but said he had made no decision on joining the exodus of top players overseas. The announcement had been widely expected, with rumours circulating the 109kg Samoan-born flanker was destined to join the nine other All Blacks from last year's World Cup who have signed for foreign clubs.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry said he thought his international career was over after his team's shock elimination from the Rugby World Cup last year, a newspaper reported on Saturday. In his first interview since being reappointed in December, Henry said he only stood for re-selection because of the public support he had received.
Graham Henry defied history on Friday when he was reappointed as All Blacks coach despite holding the reins during the team's worst-ever World Cup performance this year. The New Zealand Rugby Union has traditionally been an unforgiving employer and no previous coach has survived a failed World Cup campaign.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry has re-applied for his job following the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) decision to make the position contestable after the team's failed World Cup campaign. Henry (61) had until 5pm on Monday to apply for the job after the NZRU rejected a proposal to reappoint his coaching team.
The All Blacks coaches have blamed English referee Wayne Barnes for their World Cup failure, it was reported on Thursday as the New Zealand Rugby Union deliberated on the future of the coaching panel. Head coach Graham Henry and his assistants Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith have maintained a diplomatic silence about Barnes' performance in the World Cup quarterfinal.
Canterbury Crusaders coach Robbie Deans has confirmed the worst-kept secret in New Zealand rugby -- he is keen to take over as All Black coach from Graham Henry. Henry is likely to be replaced following the All Blacks worst-ever World Cup showing this month when they were knocked out by France in the quarterfinals.
New Zealand coach Graham Henry admitted the All Blacks were scarred for life by their agonising World Cup exit as the team received an unexpectedly warm welcome home on Wednesday. About 1Â 000 fans broke into chants of "All Blacks, All Blacks" as 17 of the 30-man squad arrived at Christchurch airport.
Graham Henry will be replaced as All Blacks coach by the end of the year after his highly fancied team crashed out of the World Cup at the hands of France in the quarterfinals. The New Zealand Rugby Union board said on Sunday that a new coaching team should be in place by Christmas, even though Henry and his assistants have contracts until March 2008.
Eddie Jones will not compromise what he knows of the Wallabies' inner workings to the advantage of fierce Rugby World Cup rivals South Africa, Springboks coach Jake White said on Sunday. White, who is using Jones as a consultant at the tournament, says the former Wallaby coach is a huge positive for him and the Springbok team.
During my playing career I came to the conclusion that coaching and managing a team must be a thankless task, writes Thomas Castaignede. There are always plenty of people lining up to pontificate about what you should do or could have done better, but not many standing there saying they feel they could actually do the job because they truly understand what it entails.
Club rugby in the northern hemisphere has long been derided as the poor cousin in world rugby. But the post-World Cup exodus of a raft of top-flight internationals from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will help confound that long-standing belief.