Page 29 - Official Preview - DHL New Zealand Lions Series 2017

EAST COAST POVERTY BAY & BAY BAY OF PLENTY 11 LIONS 25
AUCKLAND 19 LIONS 6
ALL BLACKS (IN AUCKLAND) 15 NORTH AUCKLAND AUCKLAND 5
5
LIONS LIONS 10 LIONS LIONS 38
DHL NEW ZEALAND LIONS SERIES 2017
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PROFILE
Since becoming All Blacks Head Coach in in in in 2012 Steve Hansen has coached his charges to an an an an outstanding record record of of 68 games for 62 wins – a a a a a a a a a a a a a record record that would be the envy of of any team in in in world sport Lynn McConnell takes a a a a a a a a a a a closer look at at the the man behind the the All Blacks’ unrivalled success ALL BLACKS COACH
Steve Hansen has never backed off a a a a a a challenge and the the excitement of of preparing to meet the the British & Irish Lions in in in what is is is shaping as as a a a a a a a a a full-blooded contest has him ready and raring to go Since taking on on the Head Coach role in in in in 2012 Hansen’s side has known defeat on on just four occasions In 2015-16 they set a a a a Tier One world record of 18 consecutive Test victories before being beaten by Ireland in Chicago It could be argued then – having already accomplished the the unprecedented feat of consecutive Rugby World Cup successes with the the All Blacks and having been part of the the coaching team that that undid Clive Woodward’s Lions in in in in 2005 – that that Hansen has nothing left to achieve in his career But he sure doesn’t see it that that way Hansen has long believed that that to to stand still is to to go backwards So while the All Blacks have been ranked No 1 in the the the world for more than 600 weeks (and the the the the the only time they dropped out of the the the the top two was for one week) the the the the pressure is always on on to to to eke new ploys from the the system to to stay ahead of the the chasing pack “There has has to be more in in the the the bottle ” says Hansen “whether it’s little little tweaks tweaks to to our game or little little tweaks tweaks to to what we we we do in in in in our training that makes us play better – it’s all all those things Without giving too much away all all all I can say is we are striving all all the time to to improve “The excitement in in in in coaching teams playing
at at a a a a a a a higher level is no different than what the public feels You don’t want want things things to to be be a a a a a a given you want want things things to to to be be on the the the edge and when you you you walk into the the the stadium you want the the the [visiting] crowd to to to be be red up thinking they’ve got the the opportunity to to beat us “Without giving too much away all all I can say is we are striving all all the time to improve ” And we want our our crowd to be zzed up thinking that our our guys are going to to have to to play well “When you you get get everyone on on a a a a a a higher plane like that that you you get get that that excitement back into the rugby and that’s something people may have taken for for granted for for a a a a a a a a wee bit ” After a a a a a a a a huge 2016 season which also saw the the the All Blacks beat Wales in in in in the the the Steinlager Series again win the the the Investec Rugby Championship and STEVE HANSEN
THE PLAYER
IT WAS STEVE HANSEN’S
misfortune to be a mid elder back in a a a time of great strength in Canterbury rugby – the famed Ranfurly Shield
era of the mid-1980s He did play 21 games for the Canterbury side from 1980-87 and 15 games for Canterbury B while also captaining New Zealand Services in 1990-91 “I was like the proverbial
yo-yo – I was in and out of the team They had some quality mid elders like Craig Green Warwick Taylor Victor Simpson and Wayne Burleigh who was versatile and who could play second and rst ve “Back in those days they only had squads of 21 so there wasn’t a a lot of room for people who were on the fringe I really enjoyed my time – I had a a a great run with the Canterbury B team and had a a a a a great coach there in a a a a a guy called Andy Holland and and learnt a a lot o o him ”