Meet the mentors who said no to ABs
New Zealand Rugby’s revelation it had invited 26 Kiwi coaches to apply for the All Blacks head coach role is looking more ridiculous by the minute.
The latest contender to say “thanks but no thanks” is Dave Rennie, with Rugby Australia announcing the Glasgow Warriors coach will take over from Michael Cheika next year.
Rennie’s decision to take the Wallabies job instead of waiting around for NZ Rugby’s process likely leaves two remaining viable candidates for the job — Crusaders’ coach Scott Robertson and Steve Hansen’s right hand man, Ian Foster.
Here’s a list of five candidates who have slipped away from the All Blacks — and why they may have decided to stay clear.
Dave Rennie
In announcing Rennie’s appointment as head coach of the Wallabies — a four-year deal which would keep him there until the 2023 World Cup — fellow Kiwi CEO Raelene Castle called the signing “a massive coup for Australian rugby”. And so it is.
Rennie is a highly respected man manager and has a proven track record in New Zealand, leading the Chiefs to their first two Super Rugby titles before departing to Scotland to coach the Glasgow Warriors.
When it comes to winning percentages among Kiwi coaches, Rennie is at the top.
The 55-year-old admitted earlier this month he was one of the 26 names who were approached by NZ Rugby (in hindsight, not exactly an exclusive list is it?), and said he was “flattered and humbled”.
But while he may have been in the conversation, the chance to be involved with the Wallabies — a young side with plenty of upside, who were clearly keen on his signature — may have been the safer bet for Rennie, especially considering NZ Rugby’s apparent traditionalist leanings and insistence on continuity, something that may have put off many potential candidates.
Jamie Joseph/Tony Brown
Joseph shot to the top of the All Blacks’ list after he led Japan to their first quarter-final berth at the World Cup.
But it was the way that he did it that was most impressive — with entertaining, high tempo rugby that All Blacks fans have become used to over the years.
His combination with his highly soughtafter assistant Tony Brown was the favourite of many fans and pundits to take over from Hansen’s reign, but yet again, Joseph decided to go his own way and re-signed with Japan until the end of 2023.
It also means the All Blacks lose out on Brown, who rebuffed approaches from Foster and Robertson to join their respective coaching teams to stick with Joseph.
Only 49 years old, Joseph will undoubtedly stay on the All Blacks’ radar in future, with NZ Rugby even congratulating the Japan coach for re-signing in what was a strange statement.
“We congratulate and wish Jamie well as he continues his work coaching the Brave Blossoms. We respect his decision and his abilities as a coach,” NZR chairman Brent Impey said.
What can’t be ignored either is Japan’s financial chops and what may have been a significant offer to keep Joseph at the Japanese Rugby Union.
Warren Gatland
Gatland also revealed he was offered to apply for the All Blacks job but turned it down, choosing instead to honour his contract with the Chiefs until the end of 2023 while also coaching the Lions in 2021.
The former Wales coach said he was “a little bit old school” and wanted to honour his commitment with the Chiefs and the Lions, but admitted he may be interested in the All Blacks job in the future.
Regardless of contracts however, there’s likely more to his decision than just being “old school”, because the All Blacks coaching job should really be a dream job for every Kiwi coach.
It’s unlikely the Chiefs would’ve kicked up a fuss about Gatland wanting to join the All Blacks if he was offered the role.
But again, Gatland always felt like an outside chance and it was probably not worth going through the long and arduous NZ Rugby process.
Joe Schmidt
And then there’s Schmidt, who said no to the All Blacks even before it was cool.
Schmidt’s stocks would’ve taken a major blow after his Ireland side were outplayed by the All Blacks at the biggest stage of all, but he still remains one of the best rugby minds in the country.
He has publicly said he isn’t interested in the All Blacks job and has expressed his desire to spend more time with his family, while also having other projects going on such as his upcoming autobiography.
However, don’t rule out Schmidt from playing a part in the All Blacks in some other manner — perhaps as a Wayne Smith-type — to whoever it is who decides the top coaching role in New Zealand is actually a job worth having and, for now, it’s down to Foster and Robertson.