Sir Graham Henry will call it quits at Eden Park on Saturday night.
A coach of more than 50 years, the Black Ferns’ World Cup final against England will be the last match of the 76-year-old’s lengthy career.
Henry, who guided the All Blacks to World Cup glory on home soil in 2011, has been working with the Black Ferns in a mentoring role the past six months.
Graham Henry says you get to your middle 70s and you are not on your toes like you used to be, and coaching, you’ve got to be on your toes all the time.
Henry says he is past being on his toes all the time. It’s time to not do it any more. It’s time to retire from coaching.
Henry, who has also helped Auckland’s NPC team out in recent years, started coaching with the High School Old Boys’ colts in Christchurch in 1971.
The former headmaster went on to coach Auckland and the Blues, before heading to Wales and coaching their national side between 1998 and 2002.
He also coached the British and Irish Lions in 2001, when they were beaten 2-1 by Australia in an electric series.
Having taken over the All Blacks in 2004, he survived the All Blacks’ disastrous quarter-final exit at the hands of France at the 2007 World Cup, when ultra-successful Crusaders coach Robbie Deans was tipped by many to land the top job.
Henry coached the All Blacks in 103 tests, winning 88 of them for a 85% success rate.
Come Saturday night, he won’t be in the coaching box alongside head coach Wayne Smith.
No, it’s “too bloody stressful” for that, adding he’ll watch from the stands.
Source: Stuff.co
