Ruling bodies of International Rugby Union countries are a strange beast.  John Mitchell and Robbie Deans, the coaches of the All Blacks at the 2003 World Cup - were dumped despite having one of the best international coaching records in history.  They lost the semi-final to the Wallabies for three central reasons; they showed all their aces in the build-up year, selected a fullback and average boot as their No.13 and goalkicker, and had no Plan B. 


The NZRU was very succinct when asked why they were fired: ''Their job was to win the World Cup and they didn't.''  Harsh but very true.

Graham Henry was appointed in late 2003 with the exact same mission statement.  Win the World Cup.  He had all the omens on his side.  Overwhelmingly the world's best team.  Depth unlike any other nation in history.  A team that had tremendous strength up front and panache at the back.  A team that had compiled a record like no other team ever in over a century of Test match rugby.  A team littered with some of the best players on the globe.  He was media friendly and had a solid relationship both with the New Zealand public and the imposing NZRU.

'The retaining of Henry will smack of hypocrisy and complacency. Deans has paid his dues and deserves the job'


But he too lost.  So that must mean that he, too, must be fired. But he has not.  Not only that, but he and his partners Steve Hanson and Wayne Smith now have the luxury of a performance review.  What is there to say at this?  Three of the most gifted coaches in world rugby with the world's best team suffered the worst-ever All Black defeat in the history of the World Cup.

But credit to the man.  In the last four years he has compiled a record of 43 wins and only six losses.  This is astonishing.  He also ensured the All Blacks held the No.1 ranking for nearly four years.  And he inflicted the heaviest defeat ever suffered by the legendary British and Irish Lions, took three Tri-Nations titles and four Bledisloe Cups, established the best home record ever, and only lost one game in the Northern Hemisphere.

Now let's look at his mistakes:

  • He never allowed his best team to consistently play (a hallmark of any great team);
  • He decided a year out from the tournament who his best team was by resting them from the 2007 Super 14 - giving nearly 12 months of not having to prove form was still there from top players;
  • He made basic selection errors.  Chief among these was again selecting a fullback to cover the most vexed position in New Zealand rugby.  Not letting your in-form lock and winger tstart the match didn't help
  • As recent admissions from some All Blacks state, he was a severe taskmaster who only  relaxed his coaching approach when confronted by senior players.  The new haka, Kapo O Hanga, was composed soon after this meeting;
  • He allowed the players to eventually dicate the playing terms without implementing a fail-safe winning formula - i.e. percentage rugby
  • He developed tremendous depth, which sacrificed combinations and never allowed the best players to become custodians;
  • He lost the World Cup.

If Henry is re-appointed as All Blacks coach, or worse he steps down and Hanson takes over, New Zealand rugby will suffer.  Both are set in their ways, and both have made obvious mistakes despite making some brilliant decisions.  I doubt they will be innovative enough to give the All Blacks the edge they need.  Deans will likely seek the Wallaby top job then, and New Zealand will have lost two of its best coaches after the fumbling loss of Warren Gatland - a fine coach who made Waikato almost unbeatable in last year's Air New Zealand Cup.

Deans is reported to have a distant relationship with the corridors of power in the NZRU.  Remember, he has been sacked by them before.  But he brings a record as imposing as the All Blacks themselves with the six-time Super Rugby champions, the Crusaders.  How often has an All Black supporter wished that the national team would play the calculating risk-free percentage rugby that Canterbury play?

Remember that in theory, being All Blacks coach is a simple job, with the level of depth, history and support that New Zealand rugby has.  The coaches' employers are demanding, as they should be considering the level of success that New Zealand rugby has had.

Stand by your guns, heavies of the NZRU.  Sack another coach. It does sound ugly but when you set such high job criteria, the prices to pay will be great.  The retaining of Henry will smack of hypocrisy and complacency.  Deans has paid his dues and deserves the job.

I think - as an All Black supporter - that Henry should go to South Africa, and recondition, rotate and rest the Springboks for the next World Cup...