Sir Graham Henry outlines top priorities as new All Blacks selector

Sir Graham Henry is back with the All Blacks as a selector, and while he brings a proven track record to Dave Rennie’s new panel, he also recognises the ways in which the game has evolved since he led New Zealand to Rugby World Cup glory 15 years ago.

‘Ted’ was brought on board by the new head coach after a conversation in which he presented his opinions on 60 players, and while he is just weeks away from his 80th birthday, Rennie describes Henry as still being sharp as a tack.

The new selection panel will consist of Rennie, Henry, and 2IC Neil Barnes. The latter two will represent the thoughts of the remaining assistant coaches, Jason Ryan (forwards), Tana Umaga (defence), and Mike Blair (attack), who will voice their opinions without having a direct say in selection.

Henry will spend time in the All Blacks camp when the team is in New Zealand, and says he is excited to be involved again.

“I feel very humbled to be asked. To be frank, it’s just bloody good to wake up in the mornings these days, so to also have that responsibility might keep you alive for a few more years,” he joked with Scotty Stevenson and Israel Dagg on their Sport Nation show.

When it comes to the art of selection, Henry says that while statistics are vast in the modern game, it ultimately comes down to watching players individually for extended periods.

“Once you’ve done that for an hour or so, you’ve got a pretty good idea whether they’re the right material or not,” he said.

Team Form

Last 5 Games

26 - 52

33 - 19

17 - 25

13 - 26

14 - 28

48 - 46

50 - 40

33 - 8

12 - 54

36 - 14

4

Wins

4

1

Streak

1

21

Tries Scored

30

47

Points Difference

81

4/5

First Try

4/5

3/5

First Points

4/5

4/5

Race To 10 Points

5/5

Henry was appointed three weeks ago after completing the Camino Portugués. While he’s been watching the Super Rugby Pacific season intently, he says that watching as a selector will be very different to watching as a fan, where he spends time analysing team structures rather than locking in on individual performances.

While he jokes that he’ll need binoculars to see what’s happening in the games, he’ll be tasked with keeping a close eye on work rate. That’s an area Rennie is emphasising, with the message sent throughout the Super Rugby clubs that standards need to be raised and there is zero tolerance for lack of effort that can result in your team suffering from overlaps.

That mindset aligns with Henry’s, with the five-time World Rugby Coach of the Year saying he and Rennie are largely on the same page. That said, Henry gave a different answer when asked what the top trait he will be looking for is.

“I think it’s decision-making under pressure. How they handle that,” he explained.

“Every position’s a bit different. So if you’re looking at backs and maybe loose forwards, it’s decision-making in critical moments; have they pushed that pass? Have they taken that gap? Are their running lines right so that people around them can do their job? All of those sorts of things.

“The tight five is a bit different, obviously. But overall — apart from being able to scrum and lineout, which is critical — the athleticism of the tight five, I think the game has become more athletic. You’ve got bigger men, quicker men, and because you’ve got bigger and quicker men, you get less space.

“I guess the athleticism to be able to do a role outside of the set piece is becoming more important than it used to be.”

While specific selection thoughts are kept under lock and key during the club season, there are many established All Blacks who will obviously be leading candidates. But just how many new faces can challenge the established order will be revealed in just over a month’s time.

“We’ve got a Zoom meeting next week where we’ll go through all that,” Henry said. “There’s probably a large number, maybe 60-65 per cent, who you would think are strong contenders, and then there’ll be another 30-35 per cent where there might be two or three players vying for one or two positions. So you’ve got to make a decision, is it A, B, or C for that particular position?

“Every player is different. Some of them have a lot of experience and have been very successful All Blacks, and they’ve done their thing; obviously, you’ve got to keep watching them to make sure that they can still do their thing. But it becomes that sort of program.

“You’ve got 34 positions, you’ve got 20 that look pretty certain, you’ve got 14 that you’ve got to select, and you might have 30 players for those 14 positions. How do you work through those particular players?”

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

4

Draws

0

Wins

1

Average Points scored

24

17

First try wins

40%

Home team wins

60%

A major selection talking point in recent weeks has been that of Leicester Fainga’anuku, who has shifted from starting in the midfield to starting at openside flanker for the Crusaders. It’s the latest chapter in the ‘hybrid’ player discussion. Henry says he sees value in versatility.

“I think that’s pretty important when you’re working on your bench; what can they do? What can they cover? A Damian McKenzie, for example, can play fullback, can play 10, I think he can probably play nine. That situation is becoming more and more critical.

“But the front row is vital in today’s game. If you get done at the scrum, it’s hard to win. So you’ve got to have six players who can do the job and scrum. So that’s three subs. Look at South Africa, what they’ve done there in that area of the game with the bomb squad.

“The hybrid rugby player today — hell, that’s the new term, isn’t it? We never talked about hybrids; I don’t think we had hybrid cars in my day. The hybrid rugby player is becoming an interesting situation for the team bench. And even guys starting who can switch position of necessary. Take (Leroy) Carter, he played at halfback for three years at Bay of Plenty. So you’ve got some guys who can do things that give you flexibility.”