Wynne Gray: He's got it - Henry grabs his chance for 2011

Maybe Graham Henry meant "judge me on the next World Cup".

Whatever the relevance of those two year-old comments, Henry got his wish yesterday when it was announced he, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith would coach the All Blacks to the end of 2011.

Confirmation means the group will have guided the All Blacks in more than 100 tests by the time that tournament rolls around.

They have been together for 66 internationals with another 11 left this season. Henry and his coaching group were reappointed last year after the All Blacks fell to their worst finish in World Cup history when they were beaten in the quarter-finals by France.

After debates which split the rugby fraternity, the experience and power of the incumbent troika outweighed the challenge from Crusaders and subsequent Wallaby coach Robbie Deans.

Henry, Smith and Hansen were reappointed for two years and in April the NZRU board began discussions with them about extending that deal.

Henry was keen, Smith has signalled his intentions to carry on after some doubts last year while Hansen, apparently, was considering other options.

NZRU chairman Jock Hobbs said the longer the union left their decision, the greater the risk one of the panel might disappear. The union did not feel it was necessary to call for applications and felt "more than comfortable" asking the current panel to push on.

The deal was done on the eve of the first test in Dunedin, but the NZRU delayed the announcement until the June tests were out of the way. The NZRU had explained their decision to other coaches and senior All Blacks.

"It's been done early so we can put down a foundation for the future," Henry said.

Seven All Blacks in the Tri-Nations squad, Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, Jimmy Cowan, Richie McCaw, Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu and Andrew Hore, are survivors from the first squad chosen by the selectors in 2004.

Henry said the upcoming series would be a major challenge for the staff and the players as the Springboks and Wallabies appeared to be more established than the All Blacks. But it was the sort of task which stirred the senses and demanded all the coaches' attention.

That continued to make the panel's job refreshing, he said. Once that passion evaporated, it would be time to move on, but none of the trio had lost any of their appetite for the job.