22 December 2018, by: Leonard Solms

WHY STEVE HANSEN IS ONE OF SPORT’S GREATEST EVER COACHES

Few would have predicted it during his inconsistent spell in charge of Wales, but All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has created a legacy that will live on for generations. So resounding has New Zealand’s dominance of world rugby been since he took charge in 2011 that we should remember him as one of the greatest coaches ever to grace any sport.

Although Hansen inherited a team that was fresh off a World Cup triumph under Graham Henry, his achievements have surpassed anything which came before him. Many great rugby teams — and All Black teams for that matter — had existed prior to his reign, but none that could compare to the side that has dominated world rugby for nearly a decade.

Under Hansen’s guidance, New Zealand have become the first team to defend the Webb Ellis Cup. They have won six out of seven Rugby Championship titles, losing just three games out of 39 along the way. To put this into perspective: before Hansen took charge, New Zealand had lost 22 out of 72 tests in what was then known as the Tri Nations. The only year under Hansen in which the All Blacks didn’t win the Southern Hemisphere’s premier international rugby competition was 2015. Nevertheless, they still claimed the World Cup later that year.

Given how dominant New Zealand have been under Hansen, it is easy to forget the strength of some rivals he has seen off. South Africa were a tough nut to crack in their first two years under Heyneke Meyer, losing only one test against opponents other than New Zealand in that period. They would have been remembered very differently were it not for four defeats from four tests against the All Blacks during those years.

Michael Cheika’s reinvigorated Wallabies handed Hansen a scare in 2015, beating them in the Rugby Championship, but in the World Cup final — when it mattered most — they came up short. Eddie Jones’ England looked the biggest threat to their dominance until this year, when Ireland pulled rank.

During Sir Alex Ferguson’s trophy-laden 27-year spell in charge of Manchester United, he saw off several stern challenges to his dynasty — most notably from Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City. In an age where loyalty is a rare commodity and the managerial merry-go-round never sleeps, Ferguson relished the challenge of creating a winning culture and maintaining motivation across generations.

Hansen has created an All Blacks team every bit as feared across the world as Ferguson’s were in English football. His only remaining challenge is to bow out next year as Ferguson did in 2013 — by seeing off his rivals and silencing his critics one last time.

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