It’s all or nothing for All Blacks coach Graham Henry
New Zealand coach Graham Henry has had an impressive career as a manager and his team’s recent performances in the Autumn Internationals have proven that the All Blacks have raised the bar again, ahead
of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand next year.
The pressure is on Henry as failure in winning New Zealand’s first World Cup since 1989 will not be tolerated, especially on home soil.
The coach was lucky to keep his job after the All Blacks were eliminated by France in the quarter-finals of the 2007 World Cup at the hands of France.
The world’s best team is starting to earn a reputation for choking on the big occasion. Their southern hemisphere rivals Australia and South Africa have already over taken the All Blacks in terms of World
Cup victories, with both teams winning two World Cups. Even England's looked better, winning in 2003 and making the finals in 2007.
Pressure and high standards are something that the All Blacks have to always bear, but next year will be even more intense for the All Blacks and in particular, Henry.
The All Blacks have lived up to their credentials this Autumn and secured a good 26-16 win over England, before thrashing Scotland 49-3. Their display of power and skill in their last match saw them overcome
and Ireland team by 38-18.
The Test against Ireland will be a particularly pleasing result for the All Blacks. Not only did Henry record his 100th Test match win in rugby, but he also saw his team produce an impressive
display. Ireland had New Zealand under pressure for large parts of the match, but New Zealand scored crucial tries at important stages of the game and despite Ireland playing well, they could not beat the All Blacks.
Henry appears to have a team that seems capable of dealing with the pressure. They are so far ahead of the opposition in terms of their physicality at the break down and their counter attacking play that
they appear to be certain to win the World Cup.
However, Henry will know that his team have been in this position before. In 2007 the All Blacks were in a similar position. It seemed inevitable that they would win the World Cup, but a stunning display
by France ended their involvement in the competition at the quarter finals stage.
Henry will not want a repeat of this and he will be keen to end his team’s poor performances in World Cups.
The New Zealand coach will hope that his team can defeat Wales on Saturday 27 November to win a Grand Slam against the home nations. This would be the perfect ending to a successful tour in Britain and
Ireland and will enforce their reputation as the world’s best team.
Their loss to Australia in the Bledisloe Cup could turn out to be a positive thing for Henry and they will be aware that they are not unbeatable. The All Blacks should not become too complacent as a result.
For Henry the Welsh match will have even more significance. The coach will be keen to wrap up the Grand Slam against Wales who he had coached before he took the New Zealand job.
The Welsh coach Warren Gatland has been linked to the New Zealand job in the future and Henry will be keen to win against Gatland and Wales who had a terrible 16-16 draw with Fiji.
Henry is expected to step down after the World Cup, but he will hope that he can sign off by winning the tournament and proving that the All Blacks can deal with the expectation.
For Henry and the All Blacks, nothing but a World Cup victory in 2011 will do.
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