All Blacks should consider foreign coach - Deans
All Blacks should consider foreign coach - Deans
By ADRIAN PROSZENKO - Sun-Herald | Sunday, 03 February 2008
All Blacks should consider foreign coach - Deans - New Zealand's source for sport, rugby, cricket & league news on Stuff.co.nz
Robbie Deans believes it's only a matter of time before a foreigner is appointed as All Blacks coach.
Already branded a traitor by some in his homeland after taking the reins of the Wallabies, Deans said even New Zealand should consider doing the unthinkable if it meant securing the best person for the job.
"I've got no doubt they've already considered it," Deans told the Sun-Herald.
"Why would you deny yourself that opportunity if it's in your best interests?
"A professional organisation would be foolish to turn their back on somebody if they thought that was in their best interests, that's all I'm saying.
"Obviously, it's only one man's opinion in terms of ultimate selection ... what I'm suggesting is if you are [charged] with making that decision, you would consider everything, would you not? There's no doubt [appointing a foreigner] is a possibility."
Deans predicted there would be an increasing number of coaches switching countries to further their professional careers.
Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones played an integral role in South Africa's World Cup success, while former Kangaroos coach Wayne Bennett has been appointed to take over the New Zealand rugby league team.
Even former Wallabies coach John Connolly was mooted as a potential All Blacks coach in the late 1990s, although no official approach was ever made.
"This union only has a short history of professionalism so obviously it's an outlook, or an adaptation of outlook, that is only a recent one for [rugby] union people," he said of his own transition from All Blacks assistant coach to Wallabies head coach.
"But if you look at other codes, it's been part of the terrain for a long period of time.
"But there's no doubt it will occur more and more. To be fair, the reaction and response that I've had has been fantastic, which has possibly made it a little bit easier."
