Graham Henry has insisted the decision by the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to retain him as All Black coach following the team’s World Cup flop last year has been proved right by their results this year.
Fans in rugby-mad New Zealand rarely take kindly to coaches who fail to deliver the World Cup even though the All Blacks have won the trophy just once, as hosts, in the inaugural tournament in 1987.
So it was widely believed that Henry, as well as assistants Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen, would be axed after New Zealand’s disastrous quarter-final loss to France at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium in October last year.
But NZRU chiefs decided against sacking the trio and appointing successful Canterbury Crusaders coach Robbie Deans, subsequently given the Australia job.
Henry said New Zealand’s record this year of 12 wins from 14 games, including a Tri-Nations title, and the prospect of a northern hemisphere grand slam to come if they beat England at Twickenham on Saturday, meant officials had been right to resist calls for change.
“What we’ve achieved since the World Cup is satisfying. It’s also good for the coaching team,” Henry said. “It’s good for the people who appointed the three people sitting here.”
“Robbie Deans is a very good rugby coach as everyone knows, and it was a difficult decision,” Henry said. “They [the NZRU] stuck by us. They’ll be feeling comfortable about that decision now. We as coaches are feeling more comfortable now too.”
England, convincingly beaten 28-14 by Australia earlier this month, suffered their worst home defeat last Saturday during a 42-6 Twickenham thrashing by world champions South Africa.
The losses left Martin Johnson, England’s 2003 World Cup-winning captain, with a record of won one (against the Pacific Islanders) and lost two from his three games as team manager.
But Henry was in no doubt the legendary lock would be a success in his new role.
“When he was appointed I thought Martin would be very good at the job,” he said, after unveiling his team to play England. “It will take some time but he’ll be very good because he has very high standards and he expects high standards from others.”
Henry made just one change to the team that beat Wales 29-9 last weekend with Conrad Smith, fit following a groin injury, replacing Richard Kahui at outside center.
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