All Blacks bolstered as Sir Graham Henry returns to set-up in new position
New All Blacks selector Sir Graham Henry and head coach Dave Rennie (inset).
New Zealand’s new head coach Dave Rennie has announced that Sir Graham Henry has been added to the All Blacks’ set-up as a selector.
Henry, who guided the All Blacks during their triumphant 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign in New Zealand, will join senior assistant coach Neil Barnes and Rennie as the three-time world champions’ selectors.
Rennie revealed the news of Henry‘s appointment at a press conference in Auckland on Tuesday and revealed that he had numerous conversations with the 79-year-old.
‘Excited’ by Henry’s appointment
“We are really excited to bring ‘Ted’ in as a selector,” he said. “I’ve had a number of chats to him even prior to applying for the job, just to get ahead around the legacy and all the work he did around leadership, what he found and what he learnt during his time as All Black coach.
“He did talk about the impact that Sir Brian Lochore had when he (Henry) was coaching the All Blacks as a selector and that sort of got me thinking.
“He is very passionate, he loves the jersey. He watches a lot of rugby.
“He has some pretty strong opinions on players and so on, so conversations we have had have been brilliant. Him coming in from outside the group, watching, I think has been a really good fit.
“I’m really excited.”
Rennie, who took over the All Blacks’ coaching reins from Scott Robertson in March, is currently in New Zealand while his Japanese club Kobe Steelers is on a break.
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Henry still keeps a close eye on the game
He said Henry still has a powerful connection to rugby, watches the game closely and when he spoke to him on Monday there were roughly 60 players who he wanted to talk about.
“Which is very much Ted. He is an avid watcher of the game, and that’s important for us. We are hoping that with his eye he may see something a little different to us which will help people within the squad,” Rennie said.
“He’s such a good man, a lot of experience, wise, he’s been in this position so it will be great to have him bounce things off.”
Henry coached the All Blacks between 2004 and 2011 and won 88 out of 103 Tests during that period.
When the All Blacks lifted the Webb Ellis Cup on home soil in 2011 it was the first time in 24 years that the men in black were crowned Rugby World Cup champions.
The All Blacks will kick off their 2026 international programme in July when they face France, Italy and Ireland on successive weekends in New Zealand.
