NPR

Henry, Hansen (forwards), Smith (defense), Foster (attack), Cron (set-piece), Grant Fox (selector), Nic Gill (S&C coach), Darren Shand (Manager)

Deans, Cotter (forwards), Razor (defense), MacDonald (attack), Hammetuer (set-piece), Rob Penney (selector), Ashley Jones (S&C coach), Tony Thorpe (Manager)

Which of the above infamous 'old-boys association' coaching dynasties would you choose coaching for your life?? Choose your allegiance.

The bitter feud between Deans and Tew has been discussed ad-nauseam and extensively documented over the years by our own NPR resident Carter's Choice.

When Steve Tew (former Crusaders CEO) had his infamous fall-out with Robbie Deans in 2003/2004, he took Steve Hansen, (at the time Crusaders Manager) Darren Shand, (and Crusaders scrum coach) Mike Cron (who both worked for the Crusaders under Deans at the time) who sided with Hansen and Tew and subsequently joined the All Blacks coaching management under Graham Henry.

This bitter failing-out scorched the NZ rugby earth, putting a major faultline in the sand and had a long-lasting impact, going on to influence future coaching decisions in the NZRU, including cruely preventing Rob Penney from getting a NZ Super Rugby job due to his relationship with Deans.

In 2008 Ian Foster tagged along with Henry and Hansen on the All Blacks end of year tour as a 'technical advisor and assistant backs coach', this relationship with Henry/Hansen obviously was already well in place even before the AB coach appointment process began in 2019. A month later Foster was appointed head coach - the Steve Tew dynasty continues..

In 2017 Razor teamed up with Robbie Deans to coach the Barbarians against Hansen and Foster's All Blacks. The embittered rivalry continues..

Cotter was Dean's assistant coach at the Crusaders between 2005-2006. Cotter applied for the All Black vacancy in 2011, but was non-surprisingly (as a former associate and friend of Robbie Deans) was denied the top job by Steve Tew's cabal, Hansen, Cron and Shand being re-appointed.

All of these people are inter-connected associates. Grant Fox's association with the Henry dynasty goes back to Auckland NPC days. Both Henry and Hansen were well-known associates of Fox. Ashley Jones was Robbie Dean's S&C coach at the Crusaders between 2004-2008 and Wallabies between 2012-2013. Tony Thorpe was Crusaders manager under Deans. Hammetuer was assistant forwards coach under Deans between 2006-2008. Hammett was given the Hurricanes job over Penney because Tew and Hansen didn't want to risk him siding-up with Deans at the Wallabies. MacDonald was formerly part of the Barbarians coaching staff in 2017 under Deans and Robertson and was an integral figure of the Crusaders leadership group alongside Hammett during Robbie Dean's Crusaders tenure between 2000-2008.

Not sure how to respond to this. Henry and Hansen won the war. Deans was excommunicated from NZ rugby and they've been in control of the All Blacks since 2004. Who knows who Robbie Deans would have attracted into the AB's environment if he'd been the All Black head coach, and had All Black salaries, to offer individuals?

Tbh had the RWC'11 been reffed properly, Tew would've been stewed, Shag shagged and Ted dead. But luckily it wasn't.

Carter's Choice wrote: ↑Sun Aug 16, 2020 10:08 am Not sure how to respond to this. Henry and Hansen won the war. Deans was excommunicated from NZ rugby and they've been in control of the All Blacks since 2004.

Hmm, if Foster wasn't appointed head coach of the All Blacks last November you mightn't have a case for that, but here we are.
I don't think Robertson's relationship with Robbie Deans did him any favours either. It's well established fact that Robbie Deans is Scott Robertson's coaching mentor, biggest influence and they are known to share numerous philosophical coaching similarities:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all ... bbie-deans

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/sport/r ... -interview

NZRU were purposefully aware of this and with Foster being personally endorsed by Hansen himself, the outcome was 'fait accompli'.

So as well as coaching the Barbarians with Robertson, Deans also brought in Razor as his forwards coach when he was coaching the World XV in 2018. It seems their relationship is more significant than previously thought.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/int ... n#comments

This wasn't just a one-off thing - they are clearly close allies & collaborators, sharers of ideas. Fair to say Robertson was never on the right side of Hansen and Tew because of this well-documented, long-term association he had with Deans and (to a lesser extent) his status as Rob Penney's personal side-kick/apprentice in the NPC between 2008-2011.

Ian Foster on the other hand had inherited the keys to the golden kingdom the very moment he was invited by Tew, Henry and Hansen into ABs camp back on the 2008 and 2009 End of year tours.

As well as being appointed coach of the Junior All Blacks by Steve Tew in 2005, Foster also co-coached an All Blacks trial team in 2007. As we go further back into the past, the more co-incidences appear that can't simply be dismissed as luck. We can hereby confidently assume that Ian Foster was being groomed from day-one to resume the status of All Blacks head coach for once Hansen retired after either the 2015 or 2019 World Cups. Tew was the original architect of the risk-adverse, predetermined, calculated succession strategy and Foster was his end-point - the long-planned desired outcome. (Tew's final cunning act) before swiftly abandoning his role as CEO (the same time his right-hand man Hansen would stand-down as All Black coach). All a well-planned, calculated, pre-ordained operation to ensure Fozzie Bear was optimally-situated to take the All Black reigns post-Hansen.