There are 26 people vying to take over as All Blacks coach. But how are things really going to play out?
AFTER EIGHT YEARS AS HEAD COACH OF THE ALL BLACKS STEVE HANSEN HAS STEPPED DOWN AND NEW Z EALAND RUGBY IS CONDUCTING A PROCESS TO FIND HIS REPLACEMENT. THE NATIONAL BODY HAS CONFIRMED THAT 26 CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN INVITED TO APPLY, BUT IT IS LIKELY TO BE A CHOICE BETWEEN SCOTT ROBERTSON, IAN FOSTER, JAMIE JOSEPH AND DAVE RENNIE. A FOUR PERSON PANEL THAT INCLUDES SIR GRAHAM HENRY, NZ R HIGH PERFORMANCE MANAGER MIKE ANTHONY, NEW NZ R CHIEF EX ECUTIVE MARK ROBINSON AND FORMER SILVER FERNS COACH WAIMARAMA TAUMAUNU INTERVIEWED CANDIDATES IN NOVEMBER AND IS EX PECTED TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
1: How much value should be placed on continuity?
Buzz words are readily adopted these days and often not challenged hard enough. The term continuity has been used to describe Steve Hansen’s elevation from assistant to head coach in 2012 and is again being trotted out to explain the value of potentially promoting current assistant Ian Foster.
But in what sense are we using the word continuity? It would be wrong to believe that selecting Foster would be simply giving the All Blacks another period of what they had under Hansen.
Foster is not Hansen and would bring a different style and new ideas. They are different people with different methods so the continuity aspect applies only in the sense that Foster has significant knowledge of how the All Blacks currently operate, strengths and weaknesses of the various players and knowledge of what sort of pressure he will be under if he gets the job.
Continuity therefore has significant value because Foster would be able to make informed, educated plans as soon as he came into the job.
2: Is Ian Foster genuine head coach material?
It’s not strictly possible to make a definitive call on this. It is, however, possible to say that he shouldn’t be judged by his record at the Chiefs.
The nature of the All Blacks head coaching role is totally different to the role Foster held with the Chiefs between 2004 and 2011.
What we do know is that Foster has been an integral part of the All Blacks coaching group since 2012 and the players respect him and respond to him.
We also know that we weren’t sure whether Hansen was genuine head coaching material when he stepped up from the assistant role. And look what he did.
So best to be openminded and believe that on the basis of the evidence available, Foster is genuine head coach material.
3: Is Tony Brown the key to success?
Everyone wanted Tony Brown in their coaching team. Foster asked him to be part of his team as did Scott Robertson.
Brown is the creative brain that gives an attack a point of difference and clearly the All Blacks appointment panel will be strongly of the view that they want the former Highlanders man in the mix somewhere.
So does that leave Jamie Joseph in pole position as Brown rebuffed Foster and Robertson stating that he wants to stay with his old pal regardless of where he ends up.
“Initially when they asked me I was obviously overwhelmed and very privileged to be asked,” Brown told Sky Sports News.
“The All Blacks is obviously a dream of any coach or player and so initially I was straight in there, ‘I’m in’.
“But after the Rugby World Cup and a little bit of time to think it didn’t feel quite right to be floating around two different coaching teams and potentially three with Jamie, who I love coaching with.
“Then the decision became pretty easy in the end and I just wanted to stick with Jamie and continue on with what we’ve been doing around our development as coaches since we started together at the Highlanders.”
4: If not Brown then whom for Robertson and Foster?
New Zealand Rugby chairman Brent Impey has stated that they are looking for a coaching team rather than an individual.
So with Foster and Robertson no longer having Brown in their respective camps, to whom will they turn?
Foster has apparently already secured an agreement with current defence coach Scott McLeod to stay in the role. But he’s going to need another strong figure in the line-up.
Could that be current Hurricanes coach John Plumtree?
Robertson is thought to have tapped up departed Crusaders assistant Brad Mooar and there has been some suggestion he’d like to link with Ronan O’Gara again.
5: Would NZR allow a non New Zealander into the coaching mix?
Former Irish international O’Gara had a significant impact at the Crusaders when he was there in 2018 and 2019.
He’s an astute thinker with an acute rugby intelligence. But he’s Irish and while that was okay in Super Rugby, it may no be deemed allowable within the All Blacks.
The issue would be about pathways and with so many New Zealand coaches vying for so few domestic jobs, would it be a wise plan to allow an Irishman to hold such a key post?
After all, would he be allowed to graduate to the top job?