Wayne Smith retiring from All Blacks roles
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For my sins, I listened to his interview with Veitch where he endorsed Foster. Yes, he was asked a direct question and I think it would have been awkward for him to not offer at least some support. However, Smith went above and beyond in explaining his endorsement of Foster. While it's hard to fathom Ian Foster as All Blacks coach, as a lot of other people have suggested, if it's good enough for Smith it's good enough for me.
I would have been equally concerned about Hansen being touted as head coach in 2009 when our lineout was kak and he was fighting with the media.
I seriously can't stand Veitch and his fake laugh and matey interviews. I can't understand how he seems to be the interviewer of choice for our best sports people.
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The role of a Super Rugby coach 10 years ago and the role that Hansen has now are almost completely different - aside from sitting in the press box. Hansen is essentially a director of rugby and to my knowledge he doesn't have a direct technical responsibility in the team (attack/defense/backs/forwards/set piece). Henry used to have one responsibility as well as overseeing the operation.
Foster for most of his time at the Chiefs was just him and Craig Stevenson and a set piece coach. In that set up a bulk of the technical coaching responsibility fell on Foster. Super coaching staffs have expanded now obviously - but there is a key difference.
I have two concerns if Foster becomes coach.
Not at all convinced that he will be able to command the same quality of assistant coaches that Henry and Hansen were. Are some of the best technical minds in the game willing to coach under Foster's management? Smith was an oddity in that he had limited personal ambition and ego, I don't know if there are others like that out there.
The continuity thing may be his achilles heel. He would have 8 years experience in the AB set up, but it's a very different 8 years to the apprenticeship that Hansen had. If all goes to plan Foster may well get the reigns having never coached through a period of adversity or a rebuilding period. Hansen was there when they gutted the place and drew up the blueprints in 2004 and coached through the 2007 debacle. In press conferences he almost always references those periods (as well as his Welsh tenure and 2008/9) as being the learning periods in his coaching career.
If things go sideways in year 1 of Foster's tenure I'm not sure the 8 years riding shotgun prepares him any better than an outsider. I almost think I'd rather a coach with international pedigree in that situation.
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@rotated Interesting point. That said, we're going to have to temper our expectations. We'll probably never see a coaching trio the level of Henry, Hansen and Smith ever again. We're unlikely to even get a coach of Smith's ilk being happy as an assistant coach. Hell, I can't even imagine Cron sticking around after 2019.
One thing Foster would have learned that an outsider won't have is the importance of culture in retaining All Blacks. In an environment where all your players can earn more somewhere else, the culture and the belief that the environment is the place where they can best develop is the point of difference. It sounds straight forward, but there are many coaches before Henry that didn't get that.
EDIT. Good point about coaching through adversity. Foster has certainly had his fair share, but it's the coming through the other side part he may not have experienced.
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@reprobate said in Wayne Smith retiring from All Blacks roles:
@Hooroo quite possibly no longer relevant, but pretending it didn't happen is a different thing.
As I say it is irrelevant now. Weak headed people will dwell on it like it actually matters now
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@Milk said in Wayne Smith retiring from All Blacks roles:
I seriously can't stand Veitch and his fake laugh and matey interviews. I can't understand how he seems to be the interviewer of choice for our best sports people.
I don't mind Veitch - but, that's neither here nor there.
What can't really be denied (I think) is that, for content, he puts on the best sports radio show in the country.
Pretty much any time I'm listening he's got people lined up to talk to that I want to listen to. And, I think, he asks lots of good questions.
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@Milk said in Wayne Smith retiring from All Blacks roles:
I seriously can't stand Veitch and his fake laugh and matey interviews. I can't understand how he seems to be the interviewer of choice for our best sports people.
Sounds like one of the Sky Sports commentators/sideline reporters as well. Like Veitch he actually can ask a decent question, but before he gets to them he has to make sure everyone knows he is mates with the interview subject.
Devlin does almost as well in terms of snaring high profile interview subjects but he comes with his own eccentricities and is often guilty of asking "here is my opinion on subject X, what do you think?".
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This could also go in the 'Good Rugby Reads' but as it is of a recent topic here it is
A rare vacancy in All Blacks' coaching ranks
Only a fool would bet against Wayne Smith being back. After all, his blood runs black.
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