Big year still to come

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The Rugby World Cup is looming but All Blacks coach Graham Henry is putting it out of his mind - for now.

Henry says the players and management are all taking time off to enjoy the festive season and will focus on the cup when February rolls around and the Super 15 kicks off.

Henry spent Christmas Day at his house on Waiheke playing Santa with his three grandchildren and dabbling in the kitchen.

He says he is a "limited but enthusiastic cook" and generally sticks to roasts, his specialty.

Looking back on the All Black successes of the year, Henry has plenty of great memories to cherish.

He names beating the Springboks 3-0 as the biggest highlight, especially after the South Africans dominated the All Blacks last year.

Then there was sitting in the dressing shed team at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium with Richie McCaw and the rest of the team celebrating an unbeaten tour of the UK and Ireland.

"That rugby team has got some very special men in it and just rubbing shoulders with those young guys and being so proud of what they have done for the country just makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up," says Henry.

His low point of the year was hooker Keven Mealamu's two-week suspension for headbutting English captain Lewis Moody during a game at Twickenham.

Henry describes Mealamu as the fairest rugby player he has ever been associated with.

"He would never hurt a fly so there was no way that particular incident was intentional," says Henry. "When you clean out at ruck time you need to get low body position and it's just one of those things that happen. In the finish it was disappointing for him. He was very upset about it."

As the summer holidays draw to a close and Henry's mind turns to building the best team for the Rugby World Cup, the long-serving coach will be facing some tough decisions.

The media have already anointed Sonny Bill Williams a big name for next year, and Henry admits he has huge potential. "He certainly has the natural ability to be an outstanding player."

Henry singles out 24-year-old Northlander Rene Ranger as another player to watch. "I think he is going to get better and better," he says.

Getting better and better is what Henry's 2011 is all about.

"We have had a very satisfying year but that means nothing for next year, so we have just got to rebuild and make sure we play better next year than we did this year."