‘That cost Razor’ – Springboks legend’s theory on Graham Henry’s All Blacks return
Sir Graham Henry and an inset of Springboks legend Schalk Burger
Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers have hailed Dave Rennie’s decision to recruit former All Blacks head coach Sir Graham Henry as a national selector.
Henry coached the All Blacks in 140 matches and led the side to Rugby World Cup glory in 2011 before stepping down from the position, which was then filled by Sir Steve Hansen.
New Zealand Rugby has previously made use of high-profile former players and coaches as selectors, with legendary fly-half Grant Fox notably filling the role for a decade, while Joe Schmidt also had a stint in the position.
Schalk Burger: What cost Scott Robertson as All Blacks get aligned
Now, it will be the hugely successful former coach’s responsibility, an appointment that De Villiers and Burger praised, with the duo having played several times against Henry-coached All Blacks teams during their careers.
“To have that track record as a selector, that aura that he brings, it’s brilliant for them to bring a guy like him in,” De Villiers remarked on the Boks Unpacked podcast.
Meanwhile, Burger believes that the appointment shows a level of alignment in New Zealand Rugby that he hasn’t seen for a long time. He adds that the lack of alignment ultimately cost Scott Robertson his position.
Fox served as an independent selector under Hansen and stayed on through to 2021 with Ian Foster before Schmidt was recruited, but Robertson did not hire a selector during his tenure.
“For Dave Rennie, I think it’s about alignment,” the former flanker said. “It’s the first time in recent memory where the head coach, selectors, New Zealand Rugby, and players are aligned – there was no alignment under Razor.
“Ultimately, I think that cost Razor his position. With Dave Rennie they’re trying to reincarnate the alignment that used to be the strong point, like everything, for the betterment of the All Blacks. So I think there’s method behind the madness in bringing Graham Henry back.”
De Villiers added that it’s another ploy from Rennie and New Zealand Rugby to be best prepared for the Greatest Rivalry tour to South Africa later this year, with Henry’s recruitment following the news of Gilbert Enoka’s return as the team’s Leadership and Mental Performance Coach.
“From this side, it seems like they’re doing everything in their power to get as much value from people who can actually add value to that group, so that when they come to South Africa, they are as well prepared as they possibly can be,” the ex-centre said.
“You’re not just going to change everything around, but get the right people in there who have a proven track record, and Graham Henry certainly does. The excitement around those Test matches just escalates.”
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Jake White’s verdict on Graham Henry’s return
Burger and De Villiers’ remarks come off the back of Jake White’s praising the decision from Rennie and NZ Rugby. The former Springboks head coach does not believe that Henry will just be a selector for the team, as his remit will extend well beyond that.
“It’s a wonderful master stroke. He is an unbelievable selector. Look at that Auckland team he put together with Zinzan Brooke, Olo Brown and Sean Fitzpatrick et al. That was a proper rugby team that was so far ahead of its time,” he told RugbyPass.
“Then he went to Wales and took them to beat South Africa for the first time. There’s no way he’s just a selector. He’s gonna be a confidant and a motivator for players. He’s gonna be a bouncing board for the coaches. Imagine him sitting at breakfast and talking to the All Blacks about winning the World Cup.”
