Ex-England international: Why nobody wants 'poisoned' All Blacks job
The All Blacks coaching role is a "poisoned chalice".
At least that's the view of former England international Ben Kay, as All Black fans patiently wait to find out who will lead the team as Steve Hansen's successor.
New Zealand Rugby plan to announce the new coach next month with current assistant coach Ian Foster and Crusaders coach Scott Robertson the frontrunners.
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The likes of Warren Gatland, Jamie Joseph, Tony Brown and Dave Rennie, who were all part of the initial group of 26 coaches invited to apply, have all declined or pulled out of the race.
In a column for The Times, Kay said their rejection to what should be one of the "most sought-after jobs" indicates the unappealing challenge of the role.
"There are parallels between Steve Hansen's departure from the All Blacks after 15 years as an assistant and head coach and the time Sir Alex Ferguson left Manchester United. Taking over from Hansen after more than a decade of unparalleled All Blacks dominance is a poisoned chalice," Kay, who played for the British and Irish Lions in 2005, wrote.
"The squad Ferguson left behind at Old Trafford was nowhere near as strong as it had been and things began to spiral as successive managers tried and failed to rebuild the team. The same challenge awaits Hansen's successor. New Zealand are still a fine team but they are not as strong as they were four years ago."
Kay added that Joseph and Brown opting to remain in Japan suggested the pair know the opportunity to coach the All Blacks may present itself again and at a "more appealing time".
Questioning Foster's ability to evolve, Kay said the All Blacks could benefit more from Robertson's unorthodox approach should he be appointed as the new head coach.
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This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.
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I guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
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