By WYNNE GRAY
Working as a skiing, rafting and bungy-jumping guide taught new All Black manager Darren Shand how to deal with a variety of crises.
The 38-year-old said those jobs in Queenstown prepared him for all sorts of challenges, including sports management.
"When you are working outdoors you deal with people's fears, like when you lose someone over the side of a raft. Or you might be on the bridge talking them into jumping," Shand said yesterday.
From that work, including time as marketing manager for bungy-jumping pioneer AJ Hackett, Shand switched in the mid-90s to sponsorship work with the Canterbury Rugby Union. His progression veered towards managing the NPC and Super 12 sides before he controlled the New Zealand A tour to France, Wales and Romania in 2000.
After an NZRFU board meeting last week, Shand was told of his All Black appointment. The public announcement was left until Saturday evening after the Crusaders' loss to the Waratahs.
Union chief executive Chris Moller defended the curious timing of the announcement.
The delay was to avoid any disruption to the Crusaders' preparation, he said. It also allowed Shand to tell the franchise before any chance of a unauthorised leak.
"We were trying to ensure the information was published and announced by us," Moller said.
Shand expects to relinquish his Crusaders' role before the end of the Super 12 so he can concentrate, with coach Graham Henry, on having the All Blacks prepared for the June start to their test schedule.
"My philosophical overview is that we have to get the balance right," Shand said.
"We recognise the All Blacks have to be judged on the paddock and that there is a wider responsibility to give everyone in New Zealand a slice of us," he said.
"The more we can give people a small stake of the All Blacks, the better.
"If we have that agenda, people will see that is the direction we want to go."
While Shand will control the All Blacks and report directly to Moller, he expected to have a strong support team. He has worked with assistant All Black coaches Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith and has been in consistent, recent contact with Henry.
"I have always seen the job of All Black manager as a natural step," Shand said. "It is about timing and knowing when to have a go."
Shand was approached to succeed Andrew Martin as manager in 2002 but the Herald understands he turned the idea down because the job then did not carry a wide responsibility.
"I have changed jobs about every five years so I was getting a little bit scratchy about now," Shand admitted.
All Black boss' leap of faith
Blurb1: How Darren Shand went from bungy-jumping to running the national rugby team
Caption1: IN CHARGE: Darren Shand relaxes at his Christchurch home after his announcement as the new All Blacks manager. PICTURE / PRO SPORT PHOTOS
By WYNNE GRAY
Working as a skiing, rafting and bungy-jumping guide taught new All Black manager Darren Shand how to deal with a variety of crises.
The 38-year-old said those jobs in Queenstown prepared him for all sorts of challenges, including sports management.
"When you are working outdoors you deal with people's fears, like when you lose someone over the side of a raft. Or you might be on the bridge talking them into jumping," Shand said yesterday.
From that work, including time as marketing manager for bungy-jumping pioneer AJ Hackett, Shand switched in the mid-90s to sponsorship work with the Canterbury Rugby Union. His progression veered towards managing the NPC and Super 12 sides before he controlled the New Zealand A tour to France, Wales and Romania in 2000.
After an NZRFU board meeting last week, Shand was told of his All Black appointment. The public announcement was left until Saturday evening after the Crusaders' loss to the Waratahs.
Union chief executive Chris Moller defended the curious timing of the announcement.
The delay was to avoid any disruption to the Crusaders' preparation, he said. It also allowed Shand to tell the franchise before any chance of a unauthorised leak.
"We were trying to ensure the information was published and announced by us," Moller said.
Shand expects to relinquish his Crusaders' role before the end of the Super 12 so he can concentrate, with coach Graham Henry, on having the All Blacks prepared for the June start to their test schedule.
"My philosophical overview is that we have to get the balance right," Shand said.
"We recognise the All Blacks have to be judged on the paddock and that there is a wider responsibility to give everyone in New Zealand a slice of us," he said.
"The more we can give people a small stake of the All Blacks, the better.
"If we have that agenda, people will see that is the direction we want to go."
While Shand will control the All Blacks and report directly to Moller, he expected to have a strong support team. He has worked with assistant All Black coaches Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith and has been in consistent, recent contact with Henry.
"I have always seen the job of All Black manager as a natural step," Shand said. "It is about timing and knowing when to have a go."
Shand was approached to succeed Andrew Martin as manager in 2002 but the Herald understands he turned the idea down because the job then did not carry a wide responsibility.
"I have changed jobs about every five years so I was getting a little bit scratchy about now," Shand admitted.
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