NEW ZEALAND’S WORLD Cup-winning coach Steve Hansen says he will make a decision on whether his future lies with the All Blacks or elsewhere before the start of the Rugby Championship.
Hansen’s current deal with the world champions expires in 2017 and he insists there are criteria to be filled before a new one can be rubber-stamped.
“There’s four things I’ve looked at,” Hansen said on BBC Radio 5.
“One is the family, is it right for them? Is it right for the team? Is it right for the (NZ) Rugby Union and can I still get up in the morning and motivate myself and the team to improve?
So if I can’t do all those things, I won’t do it. If I still think I can do it and the players are keen on me to do it then I’ll think about it.”
After beginning the post World Cup phase of his reign with a series whitewash of Wales, you suspect Hansen won’t have much trouble ticking the latter three boxes at least. But the decision (due before the 20 August kick-off of the Rugby Championship) will be keenly awaited by Ireland coach Joe Schmidt.
Hansen described his current job as “the best job from a New Zealanders’ point of view,” so it’s natural that Schmidt would aspire to it. With his IRFU contract also coming to an end in 2017, the two-time Six Nations winner has said he will decide whether to take up a new contract offer during this summer.
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