Rugby: Henry's exit when the Blues began

Graham Henry left the Blues in 1998. Photo / Getty Images

Trace the Blues' fluttering form and you could settle on events in the middle of 1998 as the birth of their professional rugby problems.

Everything seemed in order until then. The Blues were ripe with talent, Graham Henry was in his coaching pomp and the group had claimed the initial two Super 12 crowns.

What seemed an inevitable third triumph ended in defeat by the Crusaders before Henry, after several contractual standoffs, announced in late July he was heading away to coach Wales and leaving that night.

Opinion was split between the heavy-handed NZ Rugby reaction and (later rescinded) coaching ban, to those who saw Henry's departure as a progressive career move.

Henry and the Blues were a formidable partnership but there were others ready to take the group through their campaign in 1999. At least it seemed that way.

Assistant coach Mac McCallion had absorbed the methods and ideas from three seasons with the team and, importantly, had the players' respect. His merits were contested by other pedigree rugby men Maurice Trapp and John Boe with a wildcard sortie from Taranaki coach Jed Rowlands.

An NZ Rugby panel, led by chief executive David Moffett, worked with Auckland chief executive Geoff Hipkins, chairman Reuben O'Neill and Harbour chairman Brian Purdy to come up with a decision.

Their verdict was stunning. They went past all the experienced contenders and plumped for Rowlands, whose main claim was that he had taken Taranaki to fourth in the national championship. Even Rowlands was surprised at his appointment and admitted he had only applied to show NZ Rugby his intentions in the future went beyond teaching and part-time coaching in Taranaki.

Senior players were aghast at Rowlands' inability to deliver the sort of direction they wanted and required and those early misgivings ended in near revolt on the team's trip to South Africa. The grasp of professional rugby which developed during the Henry era was eroded.

Four coaches were employed in successive seasons as Gordon Hunter's ill-health and Frank Oliver's old-school style impacted on plans.

Peter Sloane in his four-year stint and David Nucifora in his three-year stretch brought some solidity with their breadth of ideas and coaching skills. Sloane took the 2003 side to the franchise's only other title and Nucifora was a solid if unusual choice as leader.

He had fallen to player-power shenanigans at the Brumbies but the Blues were happy to bypass all the domestic candidates and use Nucifora's experience to guide the side.

When the time came to change, the Blues felt Pat Lam was ready for the next level of coaching after his provincial work. Two modest opening years opened up a playoff berth in the next campaign before a disastrous final year and Lam's exit.

All the right noises came with his successor John Kirwan. His results with Italy and Japan were modest but he came with a crew of expert sidekicks and that group was the best combination of candidates.

While Kirwan's rhetoric and charitable work have glowed, there has not been a similar sheen to his coaching and results. Attempts to contract quality imports have been rebuffed and the Blues' backline this season has spluttered.

They have changed to a partial ownership model and tried new staff but results have not improved and noises around Charles Piutau's exit are a further disruption for the group trying to find their first win of the season tonight in Hamilton.