Rugby World Cup 2023: All Blacks ‘gobsmacked’ by Sir Steve Hansen’s move to help Wallabies

By Liam Napier in London

The All Blacks are blindsided by news that their former leader, Sir Steve Hansen, is assisting the Wallabies with their World Cup preparations.

In a bizarre twist on the eve of the global tournament in France, Hansen has joined the Wallabies camp in France in a short-term non-paid advisory role as a favour to head coach Eddie Jones.

Hansen will not attend the World Cup with the Wallabies but he is expected to spend the next six days ensconced in Australia’s camp, which includes attending Sunday’s warm-up test against France in Paris, to offer Jones his assessment of the team’s strengths and weaknesses.

While the All Blacks and Wallabies are not scheduled to collide until a possible World Cup semifinal, Hansen’s presence in enemy camp sparked stunned reactions from many players in Ian Foster’s side as they prepare for their final pre-World Cup test against the Springboks at Twickenham on Saturday morning (NZT).

Hansen coached 16 players in the All Blacks squad at the 2019 World Cup. Six veterans played under him for the 2015 World Cup triumph, too.

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As All Blacks head coach, Hansen was irked by Graham Henry’s move to join the Pumas coaching staff in 2012, less than a year after leading the All Blacks to World Cup success on home soil.

Since concluding his 16-year involvement with the All Blacks following the 2019 World Cup semifinal defeat to Jones’ English side Hansen has worked with the Bulldogs in the NRL and Japanese Top League side Toyota Verblitz, where he has helped recruit All Blacks centurions Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith as well as Blues loose forward Tom Robinson and Highlanders lock Josh Dickson for next season.

Agreeing to work with the Wallabies, though, clearly cuts close to the bone for many within the All Blacks. That sentiment was evident in veteran hooker Dane Coles’ reaction when media on the ground in London informed him of Hansen’s stint on Monday local time.

“Yeah? What, actually? Shag what are you up to,” Coles exclaimed. “That hurts a little bit to be fair. I’m actually gobsmacked. I know he’s quite tight with Eddie I think they’re pretty good mates but he’s a bit of an icon in the All Blacks setup.

“I’m a bit speechless. It’s a bit disappointing but we can’t do much about that.”

Coles appeared to rapidly traverse the five stages of grief as he attempted to wrap his head around Hansen helping the Wallabies.

“It does [sting] a bit. He’s a great man but I’m gobsmacked I thought you guys were having a laugh. He’s not in our environment at the moment so we’ll have to leave it. He can help out Eddie. Hopefully he doesn’t tell Eddie all our secrets.

“If he’s respectful to the All Blacks, which I think he will be, there’ll be no problems. That’s just me trying to process what you’ve just said.

“We can’t do much about what the Aussies are up to. Our clear focus is playing the Boks this week.”

After speaking to the media Coles walked off to share the news with team-mates following the All Blacks second training session of the week in the London sun, sparking similarly stunned reactions from other players.

Ardie Savea, though, offered a more diplomatic view.

“Everyone’s got to do what they’ve got to do... good on him,” Savea said.

While Brodie Retallick and Shannon Frizell are unavailable due to injury the full All Blacks squad, including non-World Cup members Josh Lord, Brad Weber and Samipeni Finau, trained on Tuesday.

Chiefs lock Lord and loose forward Finau could be promoted to feature this weekend against the Springboks while Chiefs wing Emoni Narawa appears to have overcome the back injury that sidelined him since his test debut against the Pumas sux weeks ago.

Despite the risk of suffering injury or suspension setbacks so close to the World Cup, Foster is expected to select the majority of his first-choice players this weekend.

“If you go into fear about being injured that’s when you probably will get injured,” Coles said. “As an older athlete I’ve had a few injuries but you can’t control that. The World Cup is a very unique competition. Being a part of it there’s a lot of pressure and edge that goes into it. That’s enough so you don’t have to worry about your body. You just do everything you can to get yourself on the pitch.

“With this being my final year if you try and build the emotions up it gets hold of you and it affects your performance. I’ve just got to cherish each day. How lucky am I to hopefully be going to a third World Cup? That’s the way I look at it.”

Liam Napier has been a sports journalist since 2010, and his work has taken him to World Cups in rugby, netball and cricket, boxing world title fights and Commonwealth Games.