ABs scrum mentor out to help other coaches

His pleasure was watching the progress of players like those All Blacks he began working with fulltime in 2004. - Photo / Getty Images

Mike Cron
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rugby.

Mike Cron's love of coaching is undiminished after 33 years and he wants to set up a scheme with New Zealand Rugby to mentor coaches once his days with the All Blacks are done.

He has two more years with that squad, and in particular his work coaching the forwards, before he'll ease away from the test scene.

In his free time, Cron zips up to Japan to help out or gives his advice around Christchurch.

"I'm just like all the amateur coaches - and there are hundreds of us - who love getting involved," he said.

"You don't forget where you come from do you?"

His pleasure was watching the progress of players like those All Blacks he began working with fulltime in 2004.

The front row of Tony Woodcock in his second test, Anton Oliver and Carl Hayman buried the French pack who went to golden oldie scrums in the second half.

"That was a great memory."

"Others are being able to adapt to the rule changes which come into the game and working out ways to give top quality ball to the backs."

"I want my teams to be very positive about their scrummaging rather than use them as a basis to win penalties."

Now Cron is on the lookout for talent to replace those All Blacks who have retired and getting them up to standard to challenge those already in the squad.

"All Blacks these days are a different breed from 2004. Professional rugby is all they've known so we've found we need to balance all that hard work with some fun.

"The other big driver is a lot more emphasis on family, partners and kids.

"The biggest role in future is developing coaches and I still have that passion, similar to working in the police, where you have to have volunteers to get things sorted."