Hansen rumours gather pace
June 26 2008
Reports from New Zealand and Wales both suggest Graham Henry's faithful assistant Steve Hansen is ready to jump ship and be his own man again, with both the Ospreys and the Crusaders linked.
The New Zealand Herald carried a long story on Thursday about a possible role for Hansen at the Crusaders in the wake of Robbie Deans' departure, while the BBC said Hansen was being sized up for an offer by Welsh region the Ospreys.
Both stories said Hansen was aiming to build up his CV before 2011, in anticipation of possibly becoming the next All Blacks coach after Graham Henry.
Ospreys elite performance director Andrew Hore worked with Hansen when the New Zealanders were part of the Wales coaching set-up that took the unfancied Welsh to within an ace of beating both the All Blacks and eventual World Champions England at the 2003 Rugby World Cup, which could be a crucial persuader for Hansen.
In Christchurch, a 'Hansen for coach' campaign has been struck up, with former Crusader great and current Tasman ANZ Cup coach Todd Blackadder mooted as an assistant, and possibly Aussie McLean returning in some capacity.
Hansen has already coached Canterbury at NPC level, winning in 1997 and 2001, and he was an assistant at the Crusaders when they won Super Rugby titles in 2000 and 2001.
Of the four finest New Zealand coaches, Warren Gatland and Robbie Deans both departed to foreign shores in the wake of Henry and Hansen's re-appointments as New Zealand coaches, leaving Hansen to build his local credentials for the All Black role. His theory may be that if he proves himself in the Super 14 consistently, he will stand a better chance when Henry steps down or is relieved of his duties.
Hansen has long had a strong political ally in New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew and probably believes he would be a strong chance to replace Henry if the All Blacks fell into the same sort of difficulties they last encountered in 1998.