Henry's 'style change' cost All Blacks - Deaker

Graham Henry's decision to change his coaching style in reaction to a performance review was critical to the All Blacks' unexpected demise at the Rugby World Cup, says broadcaster and author Murray Deaker.

Deaker has known Henry for 40 years and describes him as a friend. And he's adamant that one of the key reasons for the All Blacks' quarterfinal loss to France was Henry's decision to turn his back on the characteristics that made him a "great coach" in favour of a softer, more inclusive style.

Deaker's new book, Henry's All Blacks, analyses the complete world cup process; rotation, reconditioning, selections, tactics... the lot. But one thing that stands out.

"I've known Graham for over 40 years - he's single-minded, manipulative, street-smart, cunning, independent. And it's on those qualities he became a great coach," Deaker says by way of explanation.

"In researching this book I met (All Blacks' psychologist) Gilbert Enoka and he said to me that Henry had changed 'dramatically'.

"I sniffed around and found out there that around the time of the Lions tour there had been an evaluation of the coaches and players done, and that this had shown that Graham's strengths, in the players' minds, were not the same strengths he thought he had. And his weaknesses, in players' minds, were not the weaknesses he thought he had.

"At that point he decided he needed to change; he became much more a consensus coach than he had been in the past. Those qualities of being independent, street-smart and fiercely competitive were buried and he became one of a team.

"One of the central themes of this book is that he wasn't as good a coach as he was before that."

A New Zealand Rugby Union spokesman confirmed that Henry, like other staff, was subject to regular reviews, both formal and informal, including the sometimes-upsetting "360 degree" review in which Henry would be subject to uncompromising appraisal from everyone he was involved with.

Deaker is adamant the change in Henry delivered a change in the All Blacks.

Requests to interview Henry on the matter were declined by the NZRU.

Normally, Deaker would have put such questions to Henry over a meal, in an informal setting, but an incident at the start of the year drove him to do the book without any special treatment from his old mate.

That decision came after they met for lunch at Sails restaurant in Auckland and Deaker pulled out his tape recorder. Henry baulked and told Deaker that he'd have to do any formal interviews by the book, going through the same protocols as other media.

"Graham told me I would get no insider information and his exact quote was: `There's a mystique about the All Blacks and I don't want that uncovered."'

Deaker decided at that point he'd do the book as an outsider, and interviews with Henry are sparse.

It was shortly after the decision to spurn Henry's input that Deaker had his first doubts about New Zealand's ability to win the Webb Ellis Cup.

"Until February this year I thought everything was on track, but over the last six months this book has been a struggle to write," Deaker said, explaining his doubts stemmed from the growing confidence South African players had drawn from their triumphs in the depleted Super 14, where they supplied both finalists for the first time.

But even then Deaker's doubts centred only on whether the All Blacks would win or lose against South Africa in the final. In the end, the realisation of defeat came in the final quarter of that quarterfinal against France.

"Sixty minutes into the game I was convinced we were going to lose. We had no combinations and we were doing stupid things like going 23 phases where we tried to charge the ball up a metre at a time we were going nowhere."

Another world cup, another disaster. For Deaker, it was Scotland and Lions star Gavin Hastings who best summed up the bigger picture: "I hope New Zealanders now realise the All Blacks are not the team they thought they were. It's been so clearly shown over such a long period of time that they can't perform on the big stage."

Asking himself "why does this always happen", Deaker answered the question with the final chapter of the book, entitled The Verdict.

"The last chapter of the book starts: `We choked. Just at a time when we needed to perform, we choked. When the eyes of the rugby world were upon us, at a time when a champion team would step up, in an arena designed to display rugby gladiators and against a team that just weeks earlier had been humiliated by Argentina, we choked. There's no other word for it."'

And it's the way the All Blacks "choked" that has most upset Deaker.

He has noticed huge differences between fans in Paris on supporters' tours and those back in New Zealand calling his talkback show. Those at home believe Henry should be given another chance. Of those thousands of Kiwis in Europe, Deaker has yet to meet one who thinks Henry should stay.

"They feel cheated. Some of these people have saved for five or six years with the intention of watching the All Blacks in a final."

Deaker acknowledges those fans had no right to expect the All Blacks to make the final, but what rankles, he says, is the manner of their demise.

"One fan said to me the other day: `I could have handled it if I thought we knew what we were doing and if we were beaten by a better team, but they just wimped out."'

He further illustrates the point by recalling a conversation he had with Wallabies great Tim Horan last week. "Tim said to me: `Do New Zealanders realise that the All Blacks brand will never be the same again?' It took some time for this to hit me but many of these New Zealanders over here have said they will never again sacrifice so much to support their team."

- © Fairfax NZ News