Fox 'on the outside looking in' for All Blacks

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Grant Fox described Steve Hansen's offer to be an All Blacks selector as "a bolt out of the blue" but he didn't take long to accept it.

Fox was confirmed as a selector in the new-look All Blacks management today.

Former Chiefs coach Ian Foster is Hansen's official assistant and Aussie McLean, via Canterbury, Wellington, the Hurricanes and Samoa, is the new defence coach. A specialist skills coach is yet to be named but is tipped to be Mick Byrne who has held a simialr role in the All Blacks in recent years.

Fox, the All Blacks great who helped win the 1987 World Cup in a long and distinguished test career, said he was delighted to be back in the mix though he won't have a specific coaching role with his job to be an independent selector in a three-man panel with Hansen and Foster.

"It wasn't something I was expecting," Fox told media in Auckland today.

"The call from Steve wanting me to do the selector's job was a bolt out of the blue.

"I was really looking forward to summer and relaxing and all of a sudden I've now got something else to think about."

Fox said Hansen phoned him Monday last week.

"I was in the car and took the call. I was flattered by Steve's approach and said yes pretty quickly but just needed to check a couple of things to make sure.

"Within 24 hours I was able to get back to him and confirm that, yes, I would absolutely be delighted if he was successful to be part of his crew."

Fox believes he has the skills for the job and will relish bringing another perspective to the table.

"Over the years, I've watched a bit of rugby so I've seen a lot of players. I'd like to think I have a pretty good understanding of the way the game's played and the technical skills required and the mental skills required at test level, which I think is pretty important also.

"Steve wants me to be very independent. There's no coaching involved and I'm someone on the outside looking in.

"He described it to me that sometimes when you're inside the group you can get lost in the forest when you are very close to the players - as they have to be being coaches.

"He just wants someone who might challenge their thinking from time to time and have a contrary point of view and help create robust debate. I'm pretty confident I can bring that to the role."

Fox believed the depth of talent in New Zealand rugby is very good and that was shown when the injury crisis hit the All Blacks in their successful World Cup campaign.

"At times we don't actually know how good it is until someone gets an opportunity," he said.

"Invariably, through All Black history people have stepped up. Irrespective of what happens -and we saw that at the World Cup recently when we got down to the No 4 five-eight - we still got the job done."

- © Fairfax NZ News