The Hart of New Zealand

It's crunch time for the All Blacks, and especially coach John Hart. Sports editor Ewen Campbell talks to the man in New Zealand's hottest coaching job.

It's been a great year for public outrage. Golden handshakes for tourism bosses, Jenny Shipley caught in the John Hawkesby crossfire, WINZ losing their credibility and the Lotto boss's number being up.

But all of those will pale into insignificance if the All Blacks don't come home with the Webb Ellis Cup after the first week of November.

Hell hath no fury like New Zealand rugby fans in defeat, especially those who jam the switchboards of talkback radio.

And nobody knows that better than John Hart.

The All Black coach has seen it all before. Been there, done that, got the tracksuits (only adidas ones these days, of course) - and the hate mail - to prove it.

He's tasted World Cup victory as a selector in '87, bitter defeat as co-coach in '91 and total rejection in '95.

Along the way he's survived more political shenanigans than Winston Peters, convinced most one-eyed South Islanders his initial stands for JAFA not John, and experienced the depths of despair in overseeing the worst All Black run of defeats in history.

So why keep putting yourself through the mental and physical wringer?

"It's the challenge," says Hart. "That and the fact that I love my country. I'm passionate about New Zealand. It's the best country in the world."

His small office in downtown Auckland is remarkable for the lack of padding on the walls.

It's comfortable, cosy and calm...and so is the boss of the John Hart Consultancy (yes, he still has a "day job," although business has very much taken a back seat this year - "1999 is All Black focus year").

He was speaking just a few days after he and his colleagues in the "other job" had lost the Bledisloe Cup by a record number of points to the Aussies.

It brought back memories of those nightmare five defeats in a row last season.

However, this time, public reaction seemed to be more disappointment than disgust and the announcement 36 hours later of the 30-strong squad to go to Europe was greeted, generally, with nods of approval rather than calls for sackings.

So, was Stadium Australia, Waltzin' Matilda an' all, a wakeup call?

It certainly wasn't part of the World Cup buildup plan, says Hart.

"But no team can expect to win every game. Brazil don't win every game at soccer. I said at the start of the season that no team would go through the Tri-Nations undefeated.

"The game has changed in a very short time. It has become so much more defensive. It's not a bad thing. There don't always have to be lots of tries for a game to be exciting. Rugby is evolving all the time and that's part of the challenge.

"I know what the All Blacks mean to New Zealanders. We are small country in the world arena, yet we have managed some great, sporadic, sporting achievements.

"The fact that we have always been in the top three or four of world rugby is something that drives me."

Hart is realistic about the public levels of expectation for his World Cup campaign - the Millennium-Stadium-final-or-bust approach.

But he also offers: "If I am to be judged by just one game, then I think that's a bit shallow. What I want to achieve...what I see as the pinnacle in this job, is being able to leave something behind that is in great shape."

Leave something behind? Is the march on Cardiff to be his swansong?

"I will reassess everything on November 7," is all he will say.