It's the perfect way to end an international coaching tenure. A World Cup victory leaves a sense of everything being right.
A World Cup title can add an incredible glow to any coaching reign no matter what happened in the preceding years.
Not that Graham Henry needed a fairytale ending as such but when he got his in 2011, the final act of an eight-year stint that was mostly good but with one memorably bad period, he was offered a knighthood and a place in the national psyche as a favourite old uncle.
Steve Hansen wanted the same ending to his eight-years in charge of the All Blacks. He didn't need it to preserve a treasured place in history. He already had that locked down.
He took over as head coach of the All Blacks in 2012 after eight years as an assistant and with everyone predicting it would all end horribly for him, he took the team to greater heights.
In his first year, they only lost one test – and that was at the end of a long, long season. In 2013 they didn't lose a single game and then he coached the All Blacks to a World Cup victory in 2015, before they set a record of 18 consecutive victories in 2016.
His win record was incredible. The All Blacks won 89 per cent of their tests with Hansen as coach so coming into the 2019 World Cup, his legacy didn't need another title as such.
But he wanted it. Of course he did. He wanted the All Blacks to become the first team to win three successive World Cups. That desire wasn't driven by any personal glory, but for the legacy of the jersey.
What better way to sign off than with a third straight World Cup title? What better way to bring eight years as head coach to an end?
Denne historien er fra Issue 203 December 2019 - January 2020-utgaven av NZ Rugby World.
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Denne historien er fra Issue 203 December 2019 - January 2020-utgaven av NZ Rugby World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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The 20 Most Memorable Rugby Acts Of 2020
2020- Most Amazing Rugby Acts
RUGBY ROYALTY
FRANS STEYN’S IMPACT AT LAST YEAR’S WORLD CUP ADDED MORE PRESTIGE TO A DECORATED CAREER THAT ISN’T OVER YET. CRAIG LEWIS FROM SA RUGBY MAGAZINE REPORTS.
WINGING IT FOR LONGER
TYPICALLY POWER WINGS DON'T LAST LONG IN THE ALL BLACKS. BUT CALEB CLARKE AND RIEKO IOANE ARE HOPING TO BUCK THE TREND.
TOUGHEST JOB IN THE WORLD
NZ RUGBY WORLD EDITOR GREGOR PAUL HAS A NEW BOOK OUT CALLED THE CAPTAIN'S RUN. IN IT HE EXPLORES WHAT IT TAKES TO LEAD THE WORLD'S BEST RUGBY TEAM, HOW THE JOB HAS CHANGED AND HOW THE VARIOUS LEADERS HAVE DEALT WITH PRESSURE, FAILURE AND SUCCESS.
WOW FACTOR
SCOTT ROBERTSON IS UNORTHODOX BUT HE'S ALSO BRILLIANT AND WANTS A JOB WITH THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS.
RUGBY REBORN
COVID BROUGHT ECONOMIC CARNAGE IN 2020 BUT RATHER THAN BEING SEEN AS A WRECKER OF FORTUNES, THE PANDEMIC WAS ACTUALLY A GIANT BLESSING.
BATTLE FOR THE BLEDISLOE
THE UNPRECEDENTED CONDITIONS OF 2020 SAW THE INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR HASTILY REDRAWN AND IN A UNIQUE TWIST FOR THE PROFESSIONAL AGE, THE ALL BLACKS PLAYED FOUR CONSECUTIVE TESTS AGAINST AUSTRALIA.
PACIFIC POWER HOUSE
FIJI HAVE NEVER QUITE BEEN ABLE TO FULFIL THEIR ENORMOUS POTENTIAL. BUT THEY MIGHT NOW FOLLOWING THE APPOINTMENT OF VERN COTTER AS HEAD COACH.
THE PEOPLE'S CHAMPION
ON AND OFF THE FIELD, SPRINGBOKS WING CHESLIN KOLBE CONTINUES TO MAKE AN INSPIRATIONAL IMPACT.
DEFENCE FORCE ONE
THE BLUES WERE A RADICALLY DIFFERENT TEAM IN 2020 AND MUCH OF THAT WAS DUE TO THEIR VASTLY IMPROVED WORK ON DEFENCE.
