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Sir Steve Hansen sheds light on how he used to pick All Blacks squads

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Sir Steve Hansen has opened up on how he and his colleagues selected All Blacks squads during his time at the helm of the New Zealand national side.

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Regarded as one of the greatest coaches of all-time, Hansen was part of the All Blacks set-up as an assistant coach from 2004 to 2011 before succeeding Sir Graham Henry as head coach from 2012 to 2019.

During his time on New Zealand’s coaching staff, Hansen won back-to-back World Cup titles in 2011 and 2015 and enjoyed an unprecedented 92.6 percent win rate from 68 test matches between 2012 and 2016.

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As such, Hansen was crowned World Rugby Coach of the Year four times, the second-most successful recipient of that award behind five-time winner Henry, cementing his status as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the game.

Much of Hansen’s success with the All Blacks can be attributed to his selection of players, many of whom he handed international debuts to and went on to become the best in the world in their respective positions.

Those players include Conrad Smith, Jerome Kaino, Kieran Read, Owen Franks, Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Sam Whitelock, Sonny Bill Williams, Brodie Retallick, Julian Savea, Aaron Smith, Sam Cane, Beauden Barrett, Dane Coles, Ardie Savea and Rieko Ioane.

The selection aspect of his coaching role is one that Hansen has now shed some light on in a recent interview in which he detailed the processes that go into how an All Blacks squad is picked.

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Speaking to the New Zealand Herald, Hansen outlined that “80 percent of the [coaching] job is done if you’ve picked the right players”, and stipulated that “95 percent of New Zealanders who follow rugby could pick 95 percent of the [All Blacks] team.”

According to the 62-year-old, it is the remaining five percent of the All Blacks squad that requires due consideration and debate among the selectors, a process that he said “could take a couple of days, even a couple of weeks.”

“You pick yours, I’ll pick mine. It’s only a paper team,” Hansen told the New Zealand Herald of the method he and his fellow selectors used to pick All Blacks squads.

“When the nitty gritty comes, what we used to do was write your own team up, and all the players we agree on, they’re in. Where there’s uncertainty, we keep having conversations until there’s no uncertainty.”

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Unlike the general public, though, Hansen said he and his colleagues had far greater access to wide-ranging and in-depth information about those competing for All Blacks selection.

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“We’re totally informed about all the things that we’re looking for,” he told the New Zealand Herald.

“Whether it’s fitness data, skill data, home life, injuries. A lot of players are playing with niggles from injuries. Some are playing with something in the background in their lives that could have an effect on form.”

However, in spite of all the information available to All Blacks selectors, Hansen said there were times that he still picked players based on intuition and faith in their ability rather than recent form and data.

An example of that was his continual selection of Ma’a Nonu, who, as an established All Black, often struggled to perform in Super Rugby, but remained a constant figure in Hansen’s squads despite public opposition to his inclusion in the national set-up.

“Ma’a Nonu was a unique sort of individual who sometimes struggled at Super Rugby, but he certainly never struggled at test rugby,” Hansen said.

“The pundits who said, ‘You can’t pick Ma’a Nonu, he’s playing poorly,’ they weren’t taking into account that we had all the confidence in the world that when it comes to test rugby, he would get it right.

“So, when you’re getting down to the final call you’ve got guys who you know have the mental fortitude and the skill level to play at that level, because they’ve proved it.

“Whereas a guy that hasn’t been in that arena, you have to look into the future. You want to know what his mental fortitude is like, and you’re watching later in the Super competition when the pressure’s on whether he’s coping okay.”

Hansen’s comments come days after New Zealand Rugby [NZR] chief executive Mark Robinson confirmed Hansen’s former assistant Ian Foster will retain his place as All Blacks head coach following a “rigorous and robust” end-of-season review.

Foster’s reign at the helm of the All Blacks has been heavily scrutinised since he took over from Hansen as head coach of the New Zealand national side.

A shortened 2020 campaign ended with a win rate of just 50 percent and included a first-ever loss to Argentina, while last year’s extended season saw the All Blacks fall to defeats against the Springboks, Ireland and France.

Those three losses were the most the All Blacks since suffered in one year since 2009, but, speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Robinson said NZR were happy with Foster’s efforts.

“There had been a full look at all aspects of the campaign last year and in all aspects we’re very comfortable with Ian’s performance through that time and the level of work he’s undertaking at the moment. There’s strong support there.”

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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