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New Zealand Rugby offers context to All Blacks coaching roles
By Ned Lester
New Zealand Rugby has provided some clarity on the roles within the All Blacks‘ coaching set-up, saying speculation that assistant coach Scott Hansen is operating in what could be understood as the head-coaching role lacks context.
A claimed comment from All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson in late November was represented in a New Zealand Herald article by reading Hansen “effectively operates in the role most would recognise as the head coach”.
New Zealand Rugby’s general manager of professional rugby and performance, Chris Lendrum, was addressing the media on Tuesday when a follow-up question on the story was posed.
“I’m not sure of the exact quote, but I think the sentiment is out of context a bit,” Lendrum responded. “Scott Hansen helps to set up the performance week for the All Blacks.
“The head coach of the All Blacks is Scott Robertson. That’s what we appointed him to do.
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“But Scott (Hansen) has a serious and significant role to play in how the week is structured and how we build into performance.”
It’s widely known that the Robertson-Hansen dynamic was built over multiple Crusaders championships. While that winning recipe was essentially transplanted into the All Blacks alongside fellow Crusaders and Canterbury coaching alumni, the result hasn’t been all smooth-sailing, with two departures from the coaching cohort.
Initial attack coach Leon MacDonald departed after just five Test matches, and Jason Holland, also in an attack role, announced prior to the Northern Tour that he would not seek a new contract with the team after completing his two-year contract this summer.
That’s left the All Blacks with a vacancy. Lendrum said the post-season review will assess which expertise would benefit the group most, helping steer the direction of any appointment process.
“We have got some decisions to make around the coaching group with all options on the table,” Lendrum said. “Whether to directly replace Jason or to look at the balance that we’ve got, and to consider if there is any other way to do things. That’s all part of the purpose of the review.”
Lendrum then clarified that his “all options on the table” comment wasn’t indicative of coaches being under pressure in their respective roles.
“It just means that whenever you bring someone new into a group, or whenever someone leaves a group, you’ve got a different group. Just confirming what the roles and responsibilities are and what the team really needs, that’s an opportunity to reflect on that question in the review process.”
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