Henry to show his card, but it's marked

Reuters

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE: A new poll has found 61 per cent of New Zealanders consider Graham Henry should be reappointed All Blacks coach.

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Greg Ford

No summer loving for summer footy Even Argentina get a look-in Henry to show his card, but it's marked Henry hears no evil, sees no evil, speaks no evil Ted sends Dingo to the doghouse ABs match against Samoa will be a farce Fiddling with finals won't cure sickness Sell our national game? It really could happen Good on Tew, and Benny too, for saying it straight Heinekens all round and let's buy a Pom club

Turn up the stereo. Dust off the deckchairs. It's time to play party games with New Zealand rugby's top coaching jobs.

The first card will be dealt by All Blacks' coach Graham Henry tomorrow. No one is sure whether he will ante up or fold - perhaps not even the man himself.

He's spent the past week mulling his future and, after initially grumbling about not being immediately re- appointed, is reportedly ready to put himself back in the fray. But does the hierarchy have an appetite for another four years of rest, rotation and reconditioning. Probably not.

The man leading the contestable coaching appointment process, Mike Eagle, is believed to be pushing the case for a coaching cleanout after the All Blacks came so spectacularly unstuck at the Rugby World Cup, failing at the quarterfinals. Eagle, a Christchurch-based businessman and long-time rugby administrator, has a reputation as a man not given to prevarication.

He spearheaded a cleanout at board level after New Zealand lost the sub-hosting rights to the 2003 world cup and is now reflecting the feelings of many in the rugby fraternity by pushing to call time on Henry's tenure.

Henry's most likely replacement, Robbie Deans has already licked the stamp and mailed off his resume to NZRU HQ in Wellington after they called for expressions of interest to all eligible candidates recently.

It was almost a redundant exercise. So far, Deans and Junior All Blacks coaches Colin Cooper and Ian Foster are the only coaches to declare their hand, in public at least. They have nothing to lose by applying. It shows they are ambitious and believe they are capable of doing the job and should they fall short of the mark it puts them in the frame as an assistant.

The same can't be said for the incumbents. If Henry decides to fall on his sword, assistant Steve Hansen is the only other coach with the experience, reputation or ambition to pit himself against the red-hot favourite, and he is expected to put his name in the hat again. In what capacity is not known. But Hansen, ever the realist, has been a devotee of Henry for several seasons now, following him to Wales and back. If he were to go it alone it would have to be with his old mentor's blessing. And the prospect of being headed off by Deans might prove too galling.

However, Hansen may yet fall on his feet.

Deans' pending promotion to New Zealand sport's highest post may allow the All Blacks forwards' coach to snare one of New Zealand rugby's most prized coaching positions as head coach of the Crusaders.

The NZRU may be unwilling to allow Deans to fill both roles in 2008. That would leave a void at the Crusaders with only a handful of coaches with the credentials to take over such a role at short notice. The prospect of coaching the likes of Richie McCaw, Dan Carter and Ali Williams might prove face-saving enough for Hansen to accept.

The board of the six-times Super rugby champions met in Christchurch on Thursday and the topic of who would replace Deans was discussed.

The usual names were tossed about: Mark Hammett and Todd Blackadder. But Hansen's name carried the most weight, especially when paired with that of Wayne Smith.

Hansen and Smith, another former Crusaders coach, would make a formidable duo at Super 14 level. Both are being courted by overseas clubs, but installing them as Crusaders coaches would ensure their short-term future rests in New Zealand and it would placate one of their biggest advocates, incoming NZRU chief executive Steve Tew.

Tew was complicit in the entire world cup planning process but has escaped any fallout. He could assuage some of his guilt by ushering Hansen into a job at the Crusaders. The NZRU owns the Super 14 franchises and thus makes all coaching appointments.

So even though Tew has been conspicuous by his absence in the All Black coaching review, he may still have a chance to influence the fate of his friend Hansen.

Henry's coaching future is less clear. He has a network of rugby contacts all over the world and he may take up a post offshore. However, at 61, his travelling days are fast coming to a close.

More to his liking might be a coaching consultancy role helping mentor upcoming coaches like Pat Lam, with whom has a close association, or, dare I say it, a stint as defensive coach with Hansen and Smith at the Crusaders. After all he is originally from Canterbury.

- © Fairfax NZ News