Father-son bond serves Hansen well
FOR better or worse, every father son relationship is influential. Steve Hansen was lucky enough to cherish a special bond with his dad, one that forever shaped him as a person and coach.
Born in Balclutha, Des Hansen came from a hard background and had to make a choice in his mid-20s; to work and support his family or carry on playing rugby. Naturally, it was a no-brainer.
Des worked hard to get ahead, eventually making his way onto a dairy farm ‘‘on the Taieri’’ near Mosgiel. The Hansens – three sons and a daughter – lived there until Steve was 16, before selling up and shifting to Christchurch, where Des became a publican at the King George Hotel and began coaching Marist.
He was also a horse racing trainer, owner, breeder and crafty punter.
Talk to anyone from that mid 1970s-80s era and they will tell you Des was ahead of his time as a coach. His baby was drift defence, a concept no-one had heard of. His teams became incredibly difficult to score against. He delivered simple explanations, and always believed that everything you do on the field is dictated by what the opposition does.
Christchurch club captain Jerry Rowberry played and coached against Des. He describes him as broad thinking; someone who loved the game and the people around it.
‘‘I rated Des because he was a great communicator and he got on with everyone. He would talk to anybody about rugby, it didn’t matter how young or old they were. I rank him as one of the best club coaches that have been in Canterbury for the last 50 years without a doubt.
‘‘He probably could’ve coached at a higher level but his job didn’t allow or he might not have been that ambitious. He obviously taught his son a lot.’’
As a publican, Des took an interest in people from all walks of life, and had time for everyone. They were traits he carried everywhere. Rowberry met Des for a beer at the Linwood clubrooms a few years before he died.
‘‘It was like turning the clock back 20 years. He listened to every word you said, and didn’t try to dominate. He was a lovely bloke, and a rugby player’s man.’’
Des became Steve’s coach at Marist in his son’s second year of senior rugby in 1978. His father always challenged players to understand why, when and how they were doing things.
‘‘They’re not big words but they’re pretty important ones.’’
The Hansens won one championship together when Des returned after some time away from coaching (he was twice coaxed back after retiring).
‘‘Dad always had some words of wisdom in his messages for everyone if you were prepared to listen,’’ Steve said.
‘‘He’s someone I looked up to like all sons do with their fathers. He was a hard but fair man. He basically taught me how to play the game and from that how to coach. We used to have lots of conversations.
‘‘He loved people but just as importantly people loved him. He had a soft nature to him as well. He’d always be there to lend a helping hand to those that needed it, and he certainly wasn’t afraid of hard work.’’
Anyone who knew them both will also tell you Des and Steve had many similarities. Both midfielders – Des a second-five with Taieri, Steve a Canterbury centre. Both embrace empathy for their players; both harness a love of racing and rugby, and both boast sharp one-liners.
Rowberry says Steve’s laconic, minimalist use of words and sense of humour all come from dad, who could sum up a player in five words; a team in 25.
He once recalls opining that lock Don Simon was too clumsy. Des responded with typically quick wit, saying you can’t teach someone to be 6 foot 10.
‘‘Steve is a chip off the old block.’’
That’s a sentiment reinforced by All Blacks set piece coach Mike Cron, who coached for many years alongside Des.
‘‘Sometimes when I shut my eyes I can hear Des talk when Steve talks. Steve was extremely close to his father. When they were together Des was like a much older brother. They seemed closer than some father and sons.’’
Among other things, Cron says Des taught him that 80 percent of coaching is in selection; that once players get over the white line your job is finished. Those little gems stick with him today.
‘‘Des is an absolute unsung hero in my humble opinion. He was not an authoritarian. He was probably the earliest guy to develop leaders and let them lead. I remember win, lose or draw how dignified he was.
‘‘That’s huge in our sport and we should keep driving that. Des was like that and Steve is exactly the same.
‘‘Steve is a guy that would give the shirt off his back to you. He’d help a battler and do it without anyone knowing. Des was very much that way – he’d always help the underdog.’’
Another quality Cron highlights is the number of players Des mentored who then went on to be coaches; Brian ‘‘Aussie’’ McLean, Vance Stewart, Greg Coffey, Murray Henderson, Mike O’Donovan, Adrian Kennedy among them and two of his sons, Steve and Kelly.
‘‘He left a great legacy. A bit like JJ Stewart way back when I was a kid, He brought in things that people didn’t quite understand and when you do that you back away sometimes. He was probably fractionally misunderstood at that time.
‘‘He was quite happy to have his white coat and gumboots on and a fag sticking out of his gob on the sideline. He wasn’t in his blazer and tie like everyone else. He was his own man.
‘‘Steve has always been a bloody good coach but now he’s a great coach. In my humble opinion he’s taken this team to another horizon. Des would be very proud.’’
Des died after suffering a stroke aged 78 in 2012 but remains very much in Steve’s thoughts.
‘‘He’s been a massive influence on my life in a positive way. I’ve been lucky in coaching being associated with other people as well and they’ve helped me to grow, but the basics definitely come from him. There’s no doubt about that.’’
Des was ahead of his time.’ ALL BLACKS SET PIECE COACH MIKE CRON