Henry busy building player development and depth

Graham Henry

There has been an admirable dignity to the way Graham Henry and his coaching team have gone around building the most solid foundation in New Zealand rugby since the game went professional.

Unlike Sir Clive, there have been no boastful claims about turning out the best-prepared team ever. While Clive blasted his own trumpet the instant he arrived on these shores, Henry and his team have tried wherever possible to make the Lions test series about the players.

And yet, Henry has an awful lot more to shout about.

Whatever the outcome of the series, New Zealand rugby will be in a very good place.

When Henry came into the job last year, the country had two test-class wingers, one fullback, one centre, not one recognised No 8, some average options for the blindside, dubious quality at lock outside of Chris Jack and a front row that scared no one.

Compare that with the resources available now. Mils Muliaina, rated by many as one of the best fullbacks in the world, can't get a game ahead of Leon MacDonald. Joe Rokocoko, the most potent wing ever to play, is now ranked fourth after Rico Gear and Sitiveni Sivivatu.

In 2003, Tana Umaga's World Cup injury effectively killed New Zealand's chances of winning. Now there is Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu and even Casey Laulala all capable of filling in.

The loss of Carlos Spencer and Andrew Mehrtens should really have been catastrophic. All that talent and experience jumping on a plane to the UK should have caused uproar.

Instead both are leaving with the country's best wishes, safe in the knowledge that neither was going to usurp the supremely talented Daniel Carter.

It probably wouldn't have been that long before Mehrtens and Spencer slipped behind Nick Evans, Stephen Donald and Jimmy Gopperth anyway.

The list goes on.

Rodney So'oialo is a transformed player, Mose Tuiali'i has huge promise, Jerry Collins is no longer just a basher and Jono Gibbes would probably waltz into the Lions team.

Lock remains a slight concern but Ali Williams, James Ryan, Kevin O'Neill, Bernie Upton and Ross Kennedy are showing every sign they will get there in time.

And now the front row, with the world-class Carl Hayman, Tony Woodcock and Greg Somerville, is good enough to chew up the mighty French and spit them out.

All this hasn't happened by chance - it's by design. The creation of a high-performance unit has allowed for greater continuity between the Super 12 sides and the national team.

Hiring specialist coaches who work across the franchises, as well as with the national team, has ensured every player is tapped into All Black thinking.

Time has also been taken to build relationships with every Super 12 coach. There has been no heavy-handedness or pulling rank. Just good, honest communication, helping to foster a sense of everyone striving towards a common goal.

But the two most important elements of Henry's regime have been the work done on building leadership and the desire to turn players into better, more rounded people.

At the end of the last Tri Nations, a core group of leaders were identified and given various responsibilities. In-house management courses have helped hone their skills.

It was also after that unsuccessful away leg of last year's Tri Nations that Henry saw that too much time in the rugby environment was preventing certain players from developing necessary life skills, such as problem solving and self-reliance.

Without these skills players were struggling to make good decisions under pressure. So now the push is on to make it mandatory for players to study or work part time to prepare for life after football.

It may take some time but the benefits of these initiatives will kick in fully. As will the benefits of booting out binge drinking and bringing in closer relationships with the media and sponsors.

Results are of paramount importancebut it's not always necessary to react to defeat with a rant on talkback radio calling for the coach's head while threatening to jump off the Harbour Bridge.

There was some high-profile criticism about the one-test build-up but, as has been detailed in these pages, the physical nature of the modern game is such that extended rest periods are vital. Ask Sir Clive if he had been the All Black coach whether he would have prepared differently to Henry and the answer would be an emphatic no.

And he would not have picked a different team for last night's test either.

Woodward has spun some lines since he got here but his admiration for Henry is absolutely genuine. As ours should be.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY