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Hansen 'on loan' to Highlanders

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:57

All Blacks coach Graham Henry admitted there is "foundation" to reports linking one of his assistants, Steve Hansen, to a coaching job at the Highlanders next year.

Henry, speaking to the media at the team's base in Takapuna (Auckland), confirmed there has been "discussions" about one of his assistants coaching a Super 15 team next year.

Media reports in New Zealand this week suggested that Hansen was a contender to coach the Highlanders, and there had also been suggestions Wayne Smith could take on a role with the Blues.

"I think there's some foundation to the speculation," Henry said after the All Blacks' training session - the start of their preparations for the opening Tri-Nations match against the Springboks in Auckland next Saturday.

However, Henry made it clear that no decisions had been made.

"I don't want to say it's not going to happen, I don't want to say it is going to happen, because I don't know," he told the media gathering.

Henry did however say he was open to the idea.

"It hasn't been decided and it's a franchise decision at the end of the day, plus the New Zealand Rugby Union," he said.

"If that's the best decision to do what we have to do, and it's the best utilisation of the three All Black coaches I've got no problem with it."

Whether or not one of his coaching team takes charge of a Super Rugby franchise, Henry did say the All Black coaches did need some contact with the top players during the Super 15 season next year ahead of the World Cup in September.

"There's eight months where we don't have any contact with players in a coaching sense with the team, and that's a hell of a long time leading into a World Cup," he said.

"We're getting them with four Test matches to play and then a Rugby World Cup, so we might have five or six weeks prior to the World Cup, and eight months prior to that with no contact.

"The big thing is that we've got to have the ability to talk to the players and just keep them up to date with plans, keep our relationship going for want of a better term, so we're sharing ideas, helping them develop their games as individuals, and hopefully that helps the franchises."

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