Henry got it.
 

I guess we can add choke at home to our list.

pffft.

I have faith that he will learn from his mistakes. Id be surprised if he was still coach in 4 years anyways.. it may only be for another 2 before he gets reviewed again.

Talkback radio will be going crazy today.

judge me on the WC.

I'd say its a 2 year contract, its a bit too risky to give him 4 years in advance atm. However I agree with the decision, every world cup loss we've axed the coach and we need to at least try to allow one to learn from his mistakes.

Apart from the world cup loss, GH did produce a very good 2-3 AB teams at once that performed very very well. The next 2-4 years he should work on building a strong main team that work well together.

The care factor I have for a bunch of overpaid chokers diminishes ever further. I'm so over rugby. Women's beach volley ball shall be my new sport of choice.

Yeah good that they're willing to give it a second shot but we're all gonna die wondering with Deans.

I just don't like Henry. Seems like a cock.

Good job, he is by far the best man for the job.

Robbie Deans is gonna fucking come back and rape us so fucking bad it aint funny.

"sigh"

I like Henry and I'm sick of the "OMG we lost the WC, kick out the coach!" mentality which has obviously not made a lick of difference in the past. Time to try something different, which is to let the coach learn from their mistakes and keep on building.

I also think public and player sentiment was for the most part not anti-Henry.

Good shit IMO _b

_b

It's pretty clear the players back him and the general strategies. The only thing he really got wrong was not giving the 1st string players enough game time.

Biggest reasons for our failure in France?
- Shitty ref performance (this can't be denied... it was bad)
- Players who panicked when France stepped up a gear
- A pool that was a joke - we needed tougher build-up games
- Not playing a consistent 1st string side frequently all year

Only the last one and possibly the second can be blamed on the coaching/selection staff.

I think this is a good call by the NZRU. _b

Pathetic. At least the NZRU management showed some balls after 03, I'm sure this was an attempt to take some of the pressure off their own backs.
I'm going to be gutted if Robbie joins the Aussies. Bye Bye Bledisloe.

I can't believe it. Henry should be clearing out his desk.

Robbie Deans will now take the job as coach of Australia, and we're all fucked.

Pfft.

Aussie are going to be in the wilderness for at least a couple of years. No Larkham, Gregan, Smith... lots of new players, a new coach etc.

Even if it is Deans (and I seriously doubt it will be) they won't be a force next year, and probably not the following one either.

Ultimately I don't think the coach contributes enough to make that statement, coach can be best in world but if the team lacks even one aspect of his plans then they are fucked. robbie + aussies does not equal slaying of ABs.

Well thats my opinion anyway.

I know my memory is bad at the best of times but all the wins we had leading up to the RWC were UGLY. (possibly with the exception of one SA game?) His policies failed. His selections on the day failed (carter/robinson). The players decisions at crucial times failed. Worst AB world cup ever.
He also still doesn't acknowledge any probs. Whether he's going to actually change anything despite saying otherwise, who knows. But Deans was the man for the job.

You're right on that count, but he will definately be the guy to take the wallabies to the next level, I just hope we can keep up.

Not going to dispute any of that except I don't think we should dump henry, he was only part of the puzzle but he has shown with his record is is the man for the job, otherwise the nzru would have choosen differently. I'm sure they are not idiots (well one would hope).

Good shit. But only for 2 years.

I am hoping it's all just a plan to hand-over to Hansen/Smith, with Henry not around for the next RWC.

Henry's constant rotation of the backline through every game under his control is what contributed to the ugliness of the wins during his tenure. His pulling of players from the S14 generated the apathy in the rugby public in NZ, which is why nobody cares enough for him to get sacked.

Anyway, time for those Phoenix tickets...

Why would you change coach 2yrs before worldcup?

yeah you would think it would be 4 years or 0 years with henry

Lol @ everyone supporting Deans. It's like everyone's forgotten he was the assistant coach at the 2003 world cup, with a team that everybody hated.

England lost in the QF in 99, kept Woodward and won in '03.

'91 we lost and Wylie didn't get reappointed. '95 we lost so we sacked Mains, '99 we lost so we sacked Hart, '03 we lost so we sacked Mitchell/Deans, '07 we lost and re-appointed Henry. We've broken the mould, learnt that sacking coaches after every loss is not the answer, it hasn't been since we won in 87.

It's like noone's allowed to learn from their mistakes? The media's bleating that Deans should be given a chance is pathetic, and the speculation that he's joining Australia is purely that, speculation. The lack of game time was a mistake, so do you think he's going to do it again? Of course not, he made the All Blacks play incredible rugby, the northern tour in 06 and the lions tour in 05 brought back the passion in New Zealand rugby.

This was a wise decision and someone as smart as Henry can only learn from this mistake and be much better for it. 42 wins and 6 losses is pretty fucking impressive.

Yip. The good thing for me is the players would have been interviewed in this whole process and its pretty obvious that they still support Henry.

true

Now they just need to replace Smith with Deans IMO. The All Black backline has gone from our strength to our weekness under Smith. Would be good to to get Deans in there somehow so when Henry goes it could be a Hansen Deans combo of win.

Conditioning? Fail. Someone should be accountable.
Rotation? Fail. Someone should be accountable.
No leadership on-field? Fail. Someone should be accountable.
No game-time? Fail. Someone should be accountable.
2007 Super 14 ruined? Fail. Someone should be accountable.
2007 Air NZ Cup ruined? Fail. Someone should be accountable.
All Blacks (tm) brand damaged? Fail. Someone should be accountable.
Quarter-final refereeing incomptetence? Fail. Not exactly anyone's fault though.
"Judge me on the World Cup"? MOTHER FUCKING FAIL.

Indeed - thank fucking christ. FINALLY we give someone the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. FINALLY we make a decision worthy of our standing in non-WC rugby. FINALLY we don't jump the gun and make the easy decision. FINALLY some forward-thinking.

2011. Believe.

Throwing the baby out with the bath water?

Fail.

Accountable yes by all means, by redeaming himself and I don't think Deans will step in and wave his magic red and black wand and make everything ok.

Don't get me wrong, I almost cried when we lost world cup in semis, didn't even speak, had no words, but when has dropping the coach ever worked for us?

With mistakes in the past and a more watchful eye Henry is the man. He simply won't be allowed to make the same mistakes.

My worst nightmare for 2008: the Wallabies with Robbie Deans as head coach and John Mitchell as forwards coach.

Was just pointing out how long he'd been appointed for. Who knows, he might fuck up big time in the next 2 years, which is highly unlikely considering his run before the WC.

You're forgetting the biggest contributing factor to us not winning the World Cup.

Hayman's Beard? FAIL. Damn you Carl Hayman.

The old mystic witch down the road tells me Aussie will benefit again from nz neglecting it's home grown talent.

Said something along the lines of another x-kiwi great being smothered by aussi gold and glory and something about a under ARM was just a warm up? Also a red and black fuzz?.... mumbling four years time... something else as her teeth fell out.

^^^ this is your brain on drugs

You give him 2 years. If he can rebuild the team (don't forget we are losing a lot of players too), and get them on the right track, then they would look at keeping him.

If he doesn't, or the players aren't responding to him, they will dump him

I think all NZ Rugby contracts should end the year after the WC.
I think we had too many stories about big name players and the contracts overseas. And then we had the same for McCaw 2 weeks before the WC.

I am happy for Henry to get it.

Imagine a 2011 final. Deans Vs Henry :)

Or a worst can scenario: New Zealand equal their worst performance and Australia go on to win the cup.

It's all true apart from the teeth falling out part. The funniest woman I know in my street. A bit of a nutter, but funny as hell to chat too.
Drugs are for losers mmmkay.

Looks like Deans is going...

Fuck you, NZRFU, you corrupt myopic bunch of incompetents. I wouldn't trust you to organise a pissup in a brewery.