Wynne Gray: Hansen's hint sparks talk about successor

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and head coach Steve Hansen. Photo / Brett Phibbs

After 12 years with the All Blacks and the past four as coach, Steve Hansen can see the finishing line after the 2017 visit from the Lions.

"You only get 10 years for murder back home so ... " was his playful hint after the World Cup triumph that he is looking to clock off midway to the next tournament in Japan.

As soon as Hansen dropped that spiky clue, ideas about his successor began to circulate.

Ian Foster has been Hansen's assistant and selector throughout their 49 wins from 54 tests while a couple of Super Rugby coaches will be looking to move up to the next level or head offshore.

Success with the Chiefs brings Dave Rennie into the frame although he's also keen on experiencing life and language in a destination like France or Japan. He's signed through 2017 and says that's coincidental with Hansen's probable exit.

"You'd never say no [about an All Black promotion]," he said, " ... but ultimately I'd love to go overseas at some stage."

Todd Blackadder, Jamie Joseph and perhaps Chris Boyd with John Plumtree will be in business depending on how their Super sides travel in the next few seasons.

Warren Gatland and Joe Schmidt may be persuaded to apply but would need to attend to contract exits in Europe and New Zealand Rugby clauses about time on the ground in New Zealand.

Hansen and Foster were joined for the latest campaigns by Wayne Smith, who now wants to take time out and recharge after several strenuous seasons. Smith won't be lost to coaching but he needs a spell, while selector Grant Fox will see out a further two years as selector but may also exit with Hansen.

Does that signal a transition from assistant to head coach for Foster, is that a natural progression or a succession plan this group have been talking about with NZ Rugby?

A year ago, Hansen inked his contract extension to the end of 2017 and for someone who advocates the inclusive brethren values of the All Blacks, he would have spoken to his assistant coaches, management and players about his plans.

He and Foster have been linked to everything about the All Blacks since they were united at the start of 2012. Foster is a career coach and is as ambitious and dedicated about success as his boss.

He coached Waikato for several seasons and the Chiefs for eight as well as being co-coach of the Junior All Blacks for three years before he picked up his All Black duties.

The long-term provincial five-eighths has blended neatly into the assistant role at national level.

The issues are whether he feels best suited to that, it's given him a thirst for greater responsibility or is he most comfortable working in his current role? Those conversations will have surfaced inside the All Blacks at times and the NZR should have tapped into those vibes as well.

When Hansen talks about the time being right to rev up the coaching mix halfway towards the 2019 World Cup, you don't know whether he means the whole group or just himself.

"I like the idea of changing the guard halfway through a cycle which has a World Cup in the middle of it. I think when people come in, it is easy to get some really dramatic shift early on and it's a lot harder to keep that momentum going," he said.

"Also, for a long time, we have put everything on the World Cup as the centre but, unless you've got real strength of character, you can be tricked into making decisions which are right for your survival, as opposed to what is right for the team.

"I would probably say it is more likely that I won't be there after 2017. It's been a good trip so far and we've just got to finish it off."

Hansen returned from a stint in Wales to work with Graham Henry and Smith in 2004 and graduated to head coach after NZ's 2011 RWC win.