The All Blacks’ era of unparalleled dominance on the international rugby scene is set to continue, with World Cup-winning coach Steve Hansen extending his contract until the end of the 2019 World Cup.
With a host New Zealand’s key players calling time on their international careers in the wake of the 2015 World Cup triumph, Hansen was expected to retire at the end of his previous contract, which was due to expire at the end of 2017.
However, he said the decision to stay on with the team was in the best interests of the All Blacks.
“I spoke to a number of players and management to get their thoughts on what would be right for the team going forward and I received unanimous feedback from them that it was right for me to continue,” he said.
Hansen’s unparalleled record of 52 wins from 57 Tests made it easy for the board to make a unanimous decision and renew the coach’s contract, NZR chief executive Steve Tew said on Monday.
“Steve’s winning record is unsurpassed in the modern era,” he said.
The board also highlighted Hansen’s ability to grow the team through selection and to inspire players to reach greater heights.
Hansen began his tenure with the All Blacks in 2004 when he was an assistant on Graham Henry’s coaching staff. When Henry retired after New Zealand’s 2011 World Cup triumph on home soil, Hansen was appointed to take the reigns of the champion side.
The transition didn’t see any drop-off in the performance of the All Blacks. New Zealand continued their stranglehold on the Bledisloe Cup and were rarely troubled on their way to a second-straight World Cup win last year.
With AAP
Jacko
Guest
And he does it soooooooo well
Good Game
Guest
Big call
A.O.Tear Rower
Guest
I understand but Mike is said to be very upset.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Why wouldn't he continue on, when you have all the talent in the World to work with, makes perfect sense.
canadiankiwi
Guest
"Four more years boys, four more years!"
Fox
Roar Guru
Typo obviously I meant Mike
A.O.Tear Rower
Guest
Who is Nick Byrne?? Yes I think England are the 2nd best team.
A.O.Tear Rower
Guest
Best in a long time? Best ever is more like it.
A.O.Tear Rower
Guest
Post of the year?
soapit
Guest
yep obviously he likes winning more than a challenge.
Fox
Roar Guru
Nick Byrne will help the Wallabies immensely. In fact he not only brings his on coaching nous but all the nous he has learned form eleven long years working with the world's best team of coaches of which he was a part off. He is more experienced at international level by a country mile than Cheika or Larkham, and I believe probably has more nous on skills and tactics than the pair of them as he learned from the best school there is and his own skills coaching speaks for itself. If the Wallabies start becoming a major threat to the All Blacks again, I hope everyone just doesn't give the credit to Cheika because I think Nick Bryne will be a very very big part of that improvement and on every level not just skills coaching. He brings more knowledge of all the drills, management of players, and tactics of the world's best team to the table than either Larkham and Cheika. He will school them more than the other way round because what can they teach him he doesn't already know??? Whereas he can teach them plenty and some. He was after all part of a coaching team that won two WC The problem is the All Blacks still gave him more depth and breath of talent to work with and you can't teach raw talent. That will be his only hurdle but he will make a huge difference but not immediately. These things take time. But the All Blacks will dominate this year one suspects and I think with some ugly scores for some oppositions. But I would not discount the Eddie Jones coached England in the coming years who deserve their number 2 world ranking.
Fox
Roar Guru
That's an awesome post chook - might be post of he year - and I agree
taylorman
Roar Guru
Kind of my point?
WEST
Roar Guru
Ha! Nice title, Im glad he likes coaching the best team
CUW
Guest
he could be a consultant to any country that can afford him - and i bet it would pay much more than NZ job. or he could to the speaking circuit. apparently Bill Clinton gets 40 - 50 k per gig . :)
Machooka
Roar Guru
Thanks Riccardo... I had a listen to Goran. Very good!!
Riccardo
Guest
And that my friends is a beautiful thing. In Shag we trust. Plus it gives Goran Paladin even more time with his Hansen impression, which is as funny as fu@k. At the risk of overdoing the parochialism I'm in a similar boat to pformagg. I think that the 2017 vintage of the All Blacks will also be special and really hitting their straps by 2018 as they build for Japan.
R2D2
Guest
......and loving it.
Vic rugby
Guest
Odd? What could be better than coaching the abs?
taylorman
Roar Guru
That's good, obviously he didn't have better plans for 2018 and 19...how odd?