The odds of All Blacks coach Steve Hansen extending his contract through the next World Cup in Japan appear to be shortening after he said on Saturday he was "probably 50/50" to stay on.
WELLINGTON: The odds of All Blacks coach Steve Hansen
extending his contract through the next World Cup in Japan appear to be
shortening after he said on Saturday he was "probably 50/50" to stay on.Hansen told local media on Saturday, however, that he would probably have a better idea on his future when the team assembles for a three-match series against Warren Gatland's Wales side in June.
"I'm probably 50/50," Hansen was quoted as saying by Fairfax
Media. "Once I get back into it and get a feel for what's happening
I'll probably make a decision within the next six months.
"It's mainly changed because of the conversations I've had
with people. They're persuading me to be a little bit more flexible in
how I see it."
New captain Kieran Read has already said he hoped Hansen
stayed until 2019, while New Zealand Rugby Chief Executive Steve Tew has
said he was keen on the coach going through until Japan hosts Asia's
first World Cup.
Hansen has been involved with the team since 2004, first as
an assistant under Graham Henry until 2011 before taking the top job in
2012.
The team have enjoyed an unprecedented period of success
under Hansen, having won 49 of their 54 matches. They have lost only
once each to England, Australia and South Africa during that time and
drawn twice with the Wallabies.
They also became the first side to win successive World Cups
last year and the first team to win the tournament three times, though
going for a third World Cup victory in a row was not the over-riding
goal, Hansen added.
"It comes with a lot of responsibility and I don't want to
just do it because you have a shot at history," he was quoted as saying
by the New Zealand Herald.
"It doesn't matter who is coaching this rugby team in 2019, they will
have a shot at back-to-back-to-back. It's not the right reason to do it
for personal glory.
"The right reason to do it is that I still believe, and others in the team still believe, I have got something to offer.
"There's a part of me who would never want to stop coaching
the All Blacks because it's become part of my life. You can't get a
better job. But, again, it's not the right reason to do it either. So
you have to make a really strong decision."
(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
- Reuters
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