Steve Hansen
Encyclopedia
Steve Hansen is a New Zealand rugby union
coach and former player.
He was the head coach of the Welsh national team
. He became the ninth Welsh coach in 13 years, after Graham Henry
parted company with the Welsh Rugby Union
(WRU) in 2002. During his first game in charge, Wales performed well but lost by 37–33 to France
. This became a familiar theme during his tenure as coach. Events reached a head during 2003 when for the first time in their history Wales lost every match in the Six Nations Championship
and went on to record a streak of 11 consecutive Test match defeats, broken by a defeat of rugby minnows Romania
on 27 August 2003. . Hansen coached Wales during the 2003 Rugby World Cup
, in which a strong display against the All Blacks
and a spirited quarter final loss against England
stopped the criticism of his coaching. He stepped down as Wales head coach in the summer of 2004 after not seeking to renew his contract and was succeeded by Mike Ruddock
.
In 2004, he was appointed to the All Blacks as an assistant coach under former mentor Graham Henry. Hansen was considered as a likely candidate to become the next Crusaders coach starting in the 2009 Super 14
season, after Robbie Deans
left to coach Australia, but in fact the Crusaders coaching job went to former All Black Todd Blackadder
.
Steve Hansen assisted Graham Henry
in coaching the All Blacks to a 2011 Rugby World Cup final
win against France, ending a 24 year Rugby World Cup winning drought for the All Blacks. It is tipped that Steve Hansen will take over as head coach of the New Zealand
All Blacks when Henry's contract is up at the end of 2011.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
coach and former player.
He was the head coach of the Welsh national team
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
. He became the ninth Welsh coach in 13 years, after Graham Henry
Graham Henry
Graham Henry is a New Zealand Rugby Union coach, and former head coach of the country's national team, the All Blacks. He played rugby union for Canterbury and cricket for Otago in the Plunket Shield. Henry was heavily criticized following the All Blacks quarterfinal exit at the 2007 Rugby World...
parted company with the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
(WRU) in 2002. During his first game in charge, Wales performed well but lost by 37–33 to France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
. This became a familiar theme during his tenure as coach. Events reached a head during 2003 when for the first time in their history Wales lost every match in the Six Nations Championship
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
and went on to record a streak of 11 consecutive Test match defeats, broken by a defeat of rugby minnows Romania
Romania national rugby union team
The Romania national rugby union team , nicknamed The Oaks , is the representative side of Romania in rugby union. Long considered one of the stronger European teams outside the Six Nations, they have participated in all six Rugby World Cups, and currently compete in the first division of the...
on 27 August 2003. . Hansen coached Wales during the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
, in which a strong display against the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
and a spirited quarter final loss against England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
stopped the criticism of his coaching. He stepped down as Wales head coach in the summer of 2004 after not seeking to renew his contract and was succeeded by Mike Ruddock
Mike Ruddock
Mike Ruddock, OBE is a Welsh rugby union coach, currently coach of the Ireland Under-20 Rugby Union Team and Lansdowne FC . Ruddock was the coach of the Worcester Warriors until his resignation on 28 April 2010 following their relegation from the Guinness Premiership...
.
In 2004, he was appointed to the All Blacks as an assistant coach under former mentor Graham Henry. Hansen was considered as a likely candidate to become the next Crusaders coach starting in the 2009 Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
season, after Robbie Deans
Robbie Deans
Robert Maxwell Deans is the current coach of the Wallabies and former All Black. He is the former coach of the Crusaders. He also served as assistant to former All Blacks coach John Mitchell between late 2001 and 2003...
left to coach Australia, but in fact the Crusaders coaching job went to former All Black Todd Blackadder
Todd Blackadder
Todd Julian Blackadder is a former professional New Zealand rugby union player and professional rugby coach. He served as Director of Rugby for the Tasman Rugby Union before being appointed to succeed Robbie Deans as coach of Super 14 team the Crusaders...
.
Steve Hansen assisted Graham Henry
Graham Henry
Graham Henry is a New Zealand Rugby Union coach, and former head coach of the country's national team, the All Blacks. He played rugby union for Canterbury and cricket for Otago in the Plunket Shield. Henry was heavily criticized following the All Blacks quarterfinal exit at the 2007 Rugby World...
in coaching the All Blacks to a 2011 Rugby World Cup final
2011 Rugby World Cup Final
The 2011 Rugby World Cup Final was a rugby union match between France and New Zealand, the final match of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. It was played on Sunday, 23 October 2011 at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand, and was won 8–7 by New Zealand, who thus won the World Cup.The New Zealand All Blacks...
win against France, ending a 24 year Rugby World Cup winning drought for the All Blacks. It is tipped that Steve Hansen will take over as head coach of the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
All Blacks when Henry's contract is up at the end of 2011.