WORLD-CUP WINNING former All Blacks coach Graham Henry is taking his talents to rugby league, announcing that he has teamed up with the struggling Warriors in the Australian National Rugby League (NRL).
Henry, who guided the All Blacks to victory in the 2011 World Cup, will be with the Warriors for the next month working with coach Andrew McFadden, the New Zealand-based club said.
“I’ve got a lot of time for him as a coach and I also really enjoy his company,” Henry said.
“We’ve had some healthy discussions about coaching previously and I’m thrilled to have the chance to be able to work with him, to observe the organisation and to provide some feedback.”
The Warriors have had a chequered history in the NRL and this season lie 10th of 16 teams with four wins from nine matches.
Six players were recently dropped for breaching team protocols, amid allegations five of them drank a mixture of prescription drugs and energy drinks on a night out after a 42-0 hiding by the Melbourne Storm.
The cocktail reportedly achieves an amphetamine-like high without breaching doping rules.
Three of the players, with international pedigree, were subsequently left out of the New Zealand team beaten 16-0 by Australia last Friday.
McFadden said he had considered a number of options before calling on Henry, who has also coached Wales and the British and Irish Lions.
“In the end we were really fortunate to be able to secure (Henry’s) services,” McFadden said.
“It’s a real privilege to have him involved and I know it’s going to be hugely beneficial not only for me personally but for the squad as a whole.”
It was the first of two overtures to All Blacks legends, with New Zealand Football also calling on Wayne Smith and John Kirwan to help the All Whites prepare for this month’s Oceania Nations Cup in Papua New Guinea.
All Whites coach Anthony Hudson said the appearance of Kirwan and Smith at a New Zealand team training camp on Tuesday had a significant impact on his players.
Kirwan and Smith have won three Rugby World Cups between them as a player and assistant coach respectively, and White said he hoped they could help further develop the All Whites’ team culture.
“There are some common traits of what it means to be a Kiwi, like the never-say-die attitude, work ethic and pride, and we don’t want to go away from that,” he said.
“I’m just trying to gain from their experience because it’s two men who really understand what it means to represent New Zealand. That has to be at the heart of what we do.”
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Genuinely not having a go, but why not just stay off it, away from it and completely avoid social media. People will always oppose strong opinions and equally strong opposition to those opinions.
@blindside: I think its because he is trying to stay relevant.
@blindside: even if he didn’t have a profile online the abuse would still be there. Obviously he didn’t help himself last week, but every November he gets more than anyone’s share of abuse
@Adrian Carroll: Wrong. Players these days are isolated and they need it. Mich like us now.
@Louis Jacob: *much
@Adrian Carroll: clown
I’m sure he gets fairly bad insults from social media and during matches but certainly don’t help himself wearing balaclavas putting it up on social media either
The abuse he gets from his fellow countrymen is nearly every bit as bad as bad as what he gets across the water. The fella is the first one to put his hand in his pocket whenever there is fundraising for anything, he can never be found wanting for effort each and every time he pulls on a green jersey. While he may have made a mistake last week it in no way justifies the abuse he gets.
@Mel Roberts: my god for once I agree with u
@Mel Roberts: It was a badly misjudged joke on his part. Naive and Stupid. But there’s no doubt he receives way worse online than his joke last week.
Priceless asking McClean to take a cut Even though he’s donated a lot of money in the last month not to mention other causes in the last few years.McCleans not on the same money as the lads at the very top,he won’t be getting that money when he retires and what he does earn now will be taxed heavily.Yes he can live comfortably now but he’s not obliged to take a cut,he’s doing his bit in this crisis.
Let’s be honest here the abuse is vile and wrong but he puts out stuff like last week that brings it on ,I’m not justifying what the trolls have said to him but he should know by now what will be said to him , I have a serious problem with his ability on the pitch and he makes me angry but I dont wish harm on him , ya he gives it 100% every time he plays in green but that’s just him running about like a headless chicken , unfortunately he will still make the squad at the moment but let’s call a spade a spade here , he has in no way lived up to the hype from the start of his career and now never will
If the stories of his donations in the past few weeks are true then fair play to him he is doing more than the owners of alot of clubs and should be commended
OMG , when you are in a massive hole, ffs stop digging.
He is a media gift that just keeps giving.
Has he shit for brains or what. Has he no advisors or does he just not listen to friends or family.
Just play football and shut up trying to justify your stupid actions of posting yourself in a balaclava .
rich people try to buy their way into our hearts with their donations or cover their badness,in any case it should be done and it’s tax efficient for him.
Now he is using reverse psychology that he is the victim and totally innocent.
I suppose through time he will lead us to the ‘ it has effected my family and they are receiving treatment as a result ‘ bit to buy him some sympathy or his sister will LEAK what a good boy he is putting someone up for Christmas .
Don’t make me laugh
Your going to reap just what your sow!
Sticks and stones