The Blues remain tight-lipped on speculation World Cup-winning coach Sir Graham Henry could join their structure as technical advisor.

The franchise won't reveal their full coaching team until after new head coach Sir John Kirwan arrives back from overseas next week.

The Blues management said "the coaching team is still work in progress" and should be sorted out in "seven to 10 days".

Kirwan was appointed to take over from Pat Lam after the Blues' horror Super Rugby season that saw them finish bottom of the New Zealand conference.

A lot of interest centres on who Kirwan can gather around him.

All Blacks kicking coach and former Japan forwards coach Mick Byrne is tipped to be in the mix.

Getting Henry on board would be a major coup.

He has been central to the Blues' three successes - as head coach in 1996 and 1997 and as a technical advisor to Peter Sloane in 2003 after he returned to Auckland from his stint coaching Wales.

Now Henry is understood to be in demand to fill a similar role next year as the Blues look to turn their game around.

An official link to the Blues might raise questions over Henry's current arrangement with the New Zealand Rugby Union, where he is helping coaches at New Zealand's other franchises as well as at provincial level.

He has also been helping Argentina with their preparations to the join southern hemisphere heavyweights the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies in the new Rugby Championship, which kicks off next week.

Henry coached Kirwan in the latter stages of the great wing's playing career with Auckland that finished in 1994.

Henry was also on the appointment committee that handed Kirwan the Blues job from a three-way tussle with Lam and Kieran Crowley.

- © Fairfax NZ News