Chris Rattue: With Cup in hand, Henry can carry on

Graham Henry. Photo / Getty Images

If Graham Henry negotiates 2011 without undoing the good work so far by instituting any mad schemes - and most importantly, secures the World Cup trophy - then might we find his All Blacks coaching reign will continue as a Sunday newspaper has suggested?

What an intriguing prospect - an All Blacks coach in this high-pressure day and age operating past the traditional retirement mark? That in itself would be no bad thing; a potential reminder of society's heartless folly in putting people out to pasture using a numbers game instead of ability.

The World Cup remains a big "if" though, because this is the only point by which Henry, who turns 65 in June, can now be judged.

If the All Blacks win the Webb Ellis, Henry will be king. If he fails, whatever the circumstances, off with his head. There are no grey areas after the great survivor and mates stuffed up in 2007.

A Herald on Sunday story intimated that Henry, who most assume will quit next year, may want to stay on after 2011 and the fact is there simply isn't a better coach in the game right now.

Continuing may seem improbable now; more likely is that Henry will want to step aside in glory after eight years in a gruelling job.

Yet in the euphoria of World Cup success, when the wrench of letting go becomes real, he may fire up for another go.

First things first, though.

The problems - apart from inevitable form dips and injuries - for Henry, going into 2011, will be twofold by this column's reckoning.

First, he needs to put an anti-tampering law on himself. Henry needs to sit back and have faith that tried and trusted methods will work. This includes allowing the Super Rugby teams to operate without R & R dictates from above. Competitive footballers operate best on constant action and rugby players - unlike soccer players - only front up once a week.

Yes, this will be a long year of pressure and scrutiny and the All Blacks go into the World Cup opener against Tonga on September 9 just a fortnight after their final Tri-Nations game in Brisbane.

But their early group matches are against Tonga, Canada and Japan - they have a month to get ready for the serious Pool A match against France at Eden Park.

Secondly, Henry needs to be the man with his hand on the tiller, in selections and tactics. Some observers say that too much selection horse trading and coaching by committee was his undoing in 2007.

In some respects, Henry - and his fellow coaches and selectors - need to leave the All Blacks' World Cup fate in the lap of the gods, accept that they can't control everything, that to try to do so will be self-defeating.

The time is gone when they can exert control over key areas with loose threads - finding back-ups for Richie McCaw and Dan Carter.

The 2011 season is no time for experimentation - this must be the year of the A-team.

One small incident should get the worry beads quietly clacking.

That was Henry's suggestion the IRB investigate a refereeing tag-team system in which the first whistler would be replaced at the indeterminate point when he was "buggered".

This mad idea is against sensible traditions of match officiating and was a reminder of the All Blacks' schemes in 2007.

Images of beefy bodies hurling themselves into the Mediterranean waters in preparation for a World Cup, crazy selections and blanket rest and rotation polices were from this same school of dangerously unconventional thought.

Henry and his mates went into that tournament on a high that played havoc with their best thinking and sense of desperation. They were too cocky.

A little warning bell went off over that refereeing concept and the message it sent was that when Henry gets on a roll, when his team is on top of the world, his thinking goes astray.

So what else might be in store?

That he was even considering this walk down a byway, while getting ready for the World Cup highway, was rather strange. Less than a year out from the tournament that will define his career, Henry was starting to fiddle and fidget again.

The pressure - the All Blacks' inevitable tag as mighty favourites, rising nervousness over the welfare of key players, the constant media and public barrage, the overwhelming desire to atone for 2007, the All Blacks' greater selection options compared to opponents - could derail the Henry mindset which has a history of falling at the final hurdle with the All Blacks, Wales and Lions.

Henry's record is stunning, yet also one of repeat instances involving ultimate failure.

If he can break this habit and get his hands on the World Cup, then no surprise at all if Henry wants to remain in charge as the Sunday newspaper story suggests.

The masses would love him of course, with the World Cup nightmare finally over, and he would have succeeded when it counted most.

If Henry's team wins the World Cup, he would finally have proven himself the best man for the job.

Weekend winner:

Indian cricket. Now there's a surprise.

What to watch:

The Ashes resume in Perth on Thursday - once-mighty Australia are desperate but appear confused selection-wise.