Heyneke Meyer is one of the few leading international coaches not to have a contract which extends beyond the World Cup. Photo / Getty Images
Heyneke Meyer is one of the few leading international coaches not to have a contract which extends beyond the World Cup. Photo / Getty Images
Top national coaches normally go to World Cups fearing the chop but most have long-term contracts.
It was perhaps a little ghoulish and erred uncomfortably close to being schadenfreude but speculating which international coach would be chopped after a World Cup has been part and parcel of the tournament in the professional age.
There would always be a handful with their head on the metaphoric choppingblock, uncertain whether they'd survive. How far would the team have to progress for them to keep their job? And even if they won, would it be enough?
The All Blacks used to be an absolute banker on this front. Their contracting ethos had always been to see the World Cup as a terminus.
It wouldn't matter how successful or otherwise the incumbent coach had been, the New Zealand Rugby Union steadfastly refused to contract beyond a World Cup.
That saw John Hart resign at the 1999 tournament, John Mitchell's job go up for grabs a few days after the All Blacks lost their 2003 semifinal and required Graham Henry to re-apply for his post in the wake of the 2007 debacle and come into the 2011 tournament knowing that, even if New Zealand won and he'd wanted to carry on, he'd have to win a contestable process.
It's been much the same in other countries. Jake White led South Africa to victory in 2007 and didn't keep his job, and his successor, Peter de Villiers, was removed from office after the Boks came up short in 2011.
Martin Johnson was sacked by England after their dismal 2011 campaign and France also decided to make a change, even though Marc Lievremont had somehow taken Les Bleus to the final.
In 2007, Lynn Davies was fired by Wales for failing to get them out of their pool.
Ireland's position was one of the more intriguing that year as they had extended incumbent coach Eddie O'Sullivan's contract for four years just one month before the tournament kicked off.
The Irish were rotten — beaten by Argentina and France and lucky to scrape past Georgia and, while O'Sullivan was kept on, he resigned a few months later after a poor Six Nations compounded matters.
Not now. Not in 2015, which will see few coaches — not those in charge of the serious contenders anyway — come to England without contracts that extend well beyond this year.
South Africa and France are the only two major nations fixed on this idea of not contracting a coach beyond a World Cup. Incumbent Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer was reportedly due to win a contract extension late last year but it never happened and still hasn't — and no one is expecting it now.
The French have already begun interviewing for a new coach, who will start work after the World Cup and most likely win a four-year contract.
Everyone else — New Zealand, England, Wales, Australia and Ireland — have locked in their coaches for the longer haul. Ireland were the last to join this group, announcing last week that Joe Schmidt will be on board until at least 2017.
Obviously national bodies around the world have decided to, in a contracting sense at least, diminish the importance of the World Cup. Such a move makes sense on one level — it more fairly reflects the overall influence and success of the respective head coaches.
It never seemed fair to place so much importance on just seven weeks of a four-year cycle and nor did it make particular sense to effectively rule that years of poor performance could be put right by a strong World Cup.
Certainty reduces the need or likelihood of coaches making rash or high-risk decisions. No one needs to go for broke at the World Cup to keep their job.
But there is a counter argument that the uncertainty has in the past been useful. Competitive tension can be powerful. It can be a legitimate means to drive the best out of people.
South Africa clearly like this idea. Meyer has been good for the Boks — clear, consistent and perhaps under-rated in how much he has opened the minds of the players to their attacking potential.
He's coming into the World Cup with no job security and the veiled message that the best way for him to stay put is to mastermind a successful campaign.
It's a fine line to tread. Tension can be both motivating and debilitating.
Locked in until 2017. New Zealand Rugby broke with tradition in December last year when they offered Hansen a two-year extension based on his phenomenal success since taking the job in 2011.
Steve Hansen. Photo / Getty Images
England
Head Coach:
Stuart Lancaster
Contract:
Locked in until 2020. Lancaster was originally appointed on an interim basis in 2012 before he earned a deal that would have taken him through to 2015. In October last year, the RFU decided they had seen enough and awarded him another four years.
Ireland Head Coach: Joe Schmidt Contract: Locked in until 2017. Schmidt became head coach of Ireland in October 2013 on a two-year deal. Last week, he extended that until 2017.
Wales
Head Coach:
Warren Gatland
Contract:
Locked in until 2019. The former All Blacks hooker and Ireland coach signed with Wales after the 2007 World Cup on a four-year deal that was extended in 2010. In December 2013, the WRU agreed to extend his contract beyond 2015, through to the next World Cup in 2019.
Expires after 2015 World Cup. Meyer was signed in 2012 on a two-year deal, earning a two-year extension. There was talk last year that he had won another two years but so far no offer has been made to keep him beyond the World Cup.
Will stand down after the World Cup. The French Federation have already interviewed candidates for the job, with Guy Noves the hot favourite to take over in 2016.
