McCaw backing Henry

All Blacks skipper happy to have Henry remaining in charge

Last updated: 9th July 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

McCaw backing Henry

McCaw: Henry backing

The challenge the coaches and senior players face is to make sure we keep looking for that edge and don't just think we've got it sorted.

Richie McCaw
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New Zealand skipper Richie McCaw welcomed the news that Graham Henry and his coaching team will remain in charge of the All Blacks.

Henry has been re-appointed as head coach of the All Blacks while Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith also remain as his assistants.

The trio have been coaching New Zealand since 2004 and have now been signed on to stay until the end of 2011 to allow them another shot at a World Cup.

Henry was controversially reappointed as coach despite the team's failure at the 2007 World Cup held in France, but now he will lead the team in another bid at the big one on home soil, and his skipper is delighted.

"It's great. It gives certainty to what you do now," McCaw said. "We know we've got two-and-a-half years to keep on building on what we're doing.

Crew

"It's nice to know we've got the same crew that are going to lead that.

"The challenge the coaches and senior players face is to make sure we keep looking for that edge and don't just think we've got it sorted."

The 28-year-old, an All Black since 2001 and skipper since 2006, insisted that there would be no complacency from the squad with a lack of coaching changes.

"A lot of us have been in this team for a long time now and you can't afford to get (complacent)," said McCaw.

"If you start standing still everyone is going to move past you.

"The couple of experiences we had last year in the Tri-Nations (losses to Australia and South Africa) and the recent French Test just reminds you if you're not quite on the money you're going to come second."

New Zealand Rugby Union chairman Jock Hobbs said a desire to retain all three coaches had prompted the union to act before their current contracts expired at the end of this year.

Successes

Since they took over in 2004, the All Blacks have won 57 of their 66 Tests, defended the Bledisloe Cup five successive seasons, won the Tri-Nations four times, beaten the British and Irish Lions in 2005 and completed two grand slam tours of Britain and Ireland in 2005 and 2008.

"We think all three individually are very strong but as a coaching unit they are even stronger," Hobbs said. "Holding all three was important.

"It's a reflection that as a group we believe they are greater than the parts. We didn't want to run the risk of losing one of them through the course of the year which is always a possibility."

Henry admitted he did not think he would be given the job again after the last World Cup, and was elated to have been given another chance.

"It is a real privilege to be asked to do this job and coach this team," he said.

"I've been doing it for a little while now and I've never thought of anything else but it being a huge privilege to be able to do this job. I greatly appreciate the support of Jock and the board and the rugby union to enable us to continue to do this job."