McCaw backs coaches' re-appointment
Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:36
All Black skipper Richie McCaw has come out in support of the retention of the All Black coaching staff until the next World Cup and is eager for his team to "keep building on what they're doing" up until the 2011 showpiece tournament taking place on New Zealand soil.
Head coach Graham Henry and his assistants Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith have been in charge of the All Blacks since 2004, and were controversially re-appointed on two year terms after a shock quarterfinal exit at the 2007 World Cup in France.
This contract has since been extended to the end of 2011, giving the trio another shot at a World Cup triumph .McCaw has backed the reinstatement, saying continuity is important as the All Blacks go in search of that elusive World Cup Crown.
"It's [the re-appointment] great. It gives certainty to what you do now," he told Press Association Sport. "We know we've got two-and-a-half years to keep on building on what we're doing.
"It's nice to know we've got the same crew that are going to lead that."
But McCaw admits that the All Black coaches and senior players will need to constantly evolve their approach if they want be the best team on the planet, adding:
"The challenge the coaches and senior players face is to make sure we keep looking for that edge and don't just think we've got it sorted.
"A lot of us have been in this team for a long time now and you can't afford to get [complacent]. If you start standing still everyone is going to move past you.
"The couple of experiences we had last year in the Tri-Nations [losses to Australia and South Africa] and the recent French Test just reminds you if you're not quite on the money you're going to come second."
New Zealand Rugby Union chairman Jock Hobbs has indicated that the strength of the coaching unit is greater than the sum of its parts, and that retaining all three was top of the NZRU's agenda when they locked all three in until 2011 before their currnet contracts came to an end.
"We think all three individually are very strong but as a coaching unit they are even stronger," Hobbs said. "Holding all three was important.
"It's a reflection that as a group we believe they are greater than the parts. We didn't want to run the risk of losing one of them through the course of the year which is always a possibility."
Henry, who admitted that he was surprised to have been re-appointed after the 2007 failure, spoke of the honour he felt to lead the All Blacks.
"It is a real privilege to be asked to do this job and coach this team," he said.
"I've been doing it for a little while now and I've never thought of anything else but it being a huge privilege to be able to do this job. I greatly appreciate the support of Jock and the Board and the Rugby Union to enable us to continue to do this job."
Were the NZRU right to retain Henry and co. or are they heading for yet another World Cup dissapointment? Let us know what you think....
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