Wayne Smith's warning to New Zealand Rugby about next All Blacks coach
Former All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith has sent a warning to New Zealand Rugby (NZR) as the race to replace Steve Hansen gets underway.
NZR launched its process to find Hansen’s replacement as All Blacks head coach last week, by inviting applications from a group of coaches familiar with New Zealand’s professional rugby environment.
NZR announced that it invited 26 Kiwi coaches to apply for the vacant role, with chairman Brent Impey confirming that shortlisting, interviews and negotiations would be conducted through November and early December, with a head coach to be announced prior to the Christmas break.
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This could see some of New Zealand’s Super Rugby franchises stripped of their coaches just a month out from the 2020 season kick-off – something Smith is wary could be a problem.
“One of the issues facing New Zealand Rugby (NZR) will be not to destroy Super Rugby by all the coaches going to the All Blacks environment,” he told Stuff.
Smith, who spent 15 years over three stints in a coaching capacity with the All Blacks, said he couldn’t recall the top job being so hotly contested, but said it should be an area of careful consideration for NZR.
“I can’t remember another time when it’s been so competitive. If you look at 2007, it was Robbie [Deans] versus us [Sir Graham Henry, Hansen, Smith]. That was competitive, but this is a different level,” Smith told Stuff.
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“Here, we’ve got three or four top coaches with great credentials, all with their own ways of doing things, putting impressive teams together and all having a crack at the top job. It’s great. It’s going to be bigger than Coronation Street.
“It will depend on who they get in their teams, how are they going to address some of the challenges around creating new structures and a bit of freshness.”
Front-runners for the job include current All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster and Crusaders coach Scott Robertson – both who have confirmed they would submit their case to NZR to replace Hansen.
Japan head coach Jamie Joseph is also considered a favourite, should he decide to apply.
“For some of these guys, it’s a win-win. It’s not a win-lose,” Smith said.
“If Razor [Robertson] doesn’t get the All Blacks, it’s still a win. He’s probably wanted all around the world, but he’s actually got a job at the Crusaders and he’s got a chance to win a four-peat, which has never been done.
“Jamie Joseph is the same. If he gets the job, it’s a win. If he doesn’t, he’s wanted in Japan again.”
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Best way to deal with all of this is to play another game.
117 Go to commentsIt’s 12-15 games Luke. Ringrose has barely played in 2024 and Henshaw and Keenan have also been out for spells in the same time period. There are always injuries and for younger players to play with the likes of Barrett will be great for them. It’s just looking for negatives where there are none.
5 Go to commentsAndy Goode pushing his own agenda with very dubious considerations on refereeing performances. Luke Pearce speaking a bit of French doesn’t make him a good and adequate referee for the Champions Cup final; his latest refereeing performance in particular was not so great.
4 Go to commentsJordie knows that he has to earn the right to put on the jersey, whatever that jersey might be.
5 Go to commentsThe best outside centre in the world at one point. He will be greatly missed.
2 Go to commentsYip his great for the big moments when needed as a safa really enjoy watching him
4 Go to commentsOne that will start to come up from now on is penalties for back pushes during kick chase scrambles. Very difficult to detect. In Croke Park if you replay the Hendy NH try, you will see Furbank push Porter in the back, who collides with Larmour knocking the ball across into Hendy’s path to dot down. A more significant example was in the RWC QTR final where Arendse pushes Fickou into two other French players for the ball to spill into Arendse’s path for him to gather and run in to score SAs first try. Not cheating if you are not caught and very difficult to spot but with kicking becoming so critical I feel its an area that will referreeed/TMO-ed more.
4 Go to commentsWhat a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
117 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
2 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
4 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
4 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
117 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to comments