All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has announced that Sir Graham Henry is returning to the fold as a selector.
Henry coached the All Blacks between 2004 and 2011, overseeing their first Rugby World Cup triumph in 24 years at the 2011 tournament in New Zealand.
The 79-year-old will bring plentyof pedigree to the role, as one of the most successful rugby coaches of all time, leading the All Blacks to 88 wins in 103 tests for a winning percentage of 85%.
Rennie’s lead assistant Neil Barnes will also be part of the selection panel.
Under the Robertson regime, there was no independent selector, as he and his assistants would focus on specific positional groups to select the team.
Henry’s appointment returns to a more traditional set up.
Rennie, who is back in the country on a whistle-stop tour before the Japanese League One playoffs with his Kobe side begin, said he was excited to have the former All Blacks coach on board, saying he will be a good fit for the team.
Dave Rennie has appointed Sir Graham Henry as an All Blacks selector. Photo / Michael Craig
“I’ve had a number of chats with him, even prior to applying for the job, and just to get our head around the legacy and all the work he did around leadership, what he found, what he learned in his time as the All Black[s] coach.
“He talked about the impact that Sir Brian Lochore had when he was coaching the All Blacks as a selector.
“He watches a lot of rugby, he’s got pretty strong opinions on players and so on. The conversations we’ve had have been brilliant.”
Rennie said he plans to catch up with Henry on Wednesday, and he already has a shortlist of 60 players he’s keen to discuss.
“He’s an avid watcher of the game and that’s important for us.
“We’re hoping that with his eye, he may see something a little bit different to us, which will help get the right people in the squad.”
After departing as All Blacks coach, Henry worked as an assistant coach with Argentina for two years, and in 2022, was a technical coach for the Black Ferns side coached by Sir Wayne Smith during the World Cup tournament in New Zealand.
Rennie is expected to reveal his first 34-man squad next month for the July’s Nations Cup tests against France, Italy and Ireland.
The closing weeks of the Super Rugby Pacific competition loom as a chance to impress Rennie, who said there are still spots up for grabs in his squad.
It is an intriguing time for the All Blacks, with Rennie also overhauling the assistant coaching line-up, with only Jason Ryan surviving the axe from Robertson’s tenure.
Barnes (head assistant), Tana Umaga (defence), Mike Blair (attack) and Ryan (forwards), are the assistants, while mental skills coach Gilbert Enoko, who previously worked for the All Blacks for 23 years, is also back.
The first All Blacks test of the Rennie era is on July 4 against France in Christchurch.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.
