Hansen can stay for as long as ABs keep winning
If the coach wins the next World Cup in 2019 then why should he quit, writes
depth, but you can’t lose 40 per cent of your starting lineup and expect things to stay the same.
In 2015 the All Blacks had the core of their backline, Dan Carter, Ma’a Nonu, and Conrad Smith, in their last test season, and it’s almost a miracle that all three were uninjured, and in superb form, at Twickenham for the final.
The All Blacks didn’t look as organised as they needed to in Brisbane.
No, they didn’t, but I’d strongly suggest a major reason for that was that so many of the team hadn’t played much rugby together, for a variety of reasons, none of them Hansen’s doing.
There was a picture perfect example of that in Marika Koroibete’s try, the third for the GETTY IMAGES Wallabies. As Israel Folau ran towards the line, he was covered by Waisake Naholo. But if you watch the replay you’ll see Damien McKenzie swivel his head towards Folau. By the time McKenzie had all his attention on Koroibete, a fatal step had been lost, and on the line McKenzie had no chance of stopping the try. GETTY IMAGES
Why was there a split second loss of faith by McKenzie? Because to have complete, instinctive, faith in a team-mate on defence only comes with time together. This year, with the plethora of injury and suspension changes, McKenzie and Naholo wouldn’t be too far from the point of needing ‘‘Hello my name is…’’ badges with each other. There could be another nightmare list of injuries in 2019, but history shows years like this one are, thankfully, pretty rare.
Hansen shouldn’t have said ‘‘the sun will still come up tomorrow’’ when they lost in Brisbane.
Maybe losing doesn’t mean as much to him any more. Really? Unlike Alex Ferguson he’s never thrown a boot in a player’s face. But a lack of public or private meltdowns (win or lose he always been the anti-Cheika with his behaviour) doesn’t mean Hansen doesn’t care. His success is based on his control, not his temper. The man at the naming last weekend of the team to tour Europe didn’t have the look of, or sound like, someone unconcerned about a loss to the Wallabies.
In the end I’m at one with Fred Allen. If, and only if, the All Blacks win a second World Cup under Hansen’s leadership why on earth shouldn’t he get the chance to have a shot at a hattrick?