Graham Henry has revealed the full extent of his involvement with Argentina

Graham Henry has revealed the full extent of his involvement with Argentina this week and is not ruling out the possibility of sitting in the visitors' coaches box at Westpac Stadium on Saturday night.
The exact nature of the All Blacks' World Cup-winning coach's role with the Pumas has been unclear, but Henry told The Dominion Post last night there should be no confusion.
He plans to don an Argentinian tracksuit at training today at the Hutt Recreation Ground and said he was doing "all he can" to help the touring side prepare for their test against the team he guided just 10 months ago.
"You can't misrepresent the role. I'm with the Argentinian side this week and next week and the two games against Australia and New Zealand, as I have been for the previous three weeks," he said from the team's Wellington hotel.
"Helping with the high performance department and development of rugby is one role and the other is helping the national coaches in the role of coaching the Argentinian side."
Did that extend to wearing team kit?
"Of course, I'm with the Argentinian team and helping them as best I can. They are playing in the best rugby competition in the world and hopefully they can do well."
And would he be sitting in the coaches' box?
"I don't know. It hasn't been discussed," Henry said, noting he had not done so during the Pumas' first two Rugby Championship matches against South Africa only because of other commitments.
He didn't expect any negative reaction to his involvement.
"I think the New Zealand public are delighted one of the lesser lights of world rugby are getting some assistance," he said.
"I think it's different to helping coach one of the teams that's traditionally in the top echelon, like England or Australia or South Africa."
Henry's ability to take a full part in Argentina's campaign is because restrictions originally placed on his involvement by the New Zealand Rugby Union no longer apply.
Those had set boundaries around information sharing and the ability to "coach" the side before matches against the All Blacks.
But New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew confirmed Henry became a free agent after taking up an assistant coaching role with the Blues.
"We had him contracted for two years post World Cup, but his role with the Blues is independent of our coach support for that team, so his contract is with them," Tew said. "He's off contract with us and ultimately in that regard he's a free agent."
Ad Feedback
The NZRU's original contract would have precluded Henry from taking a "hands-on" role in the buildup to tests against the All Blacks.
But restraining any former employee's use of intellectual property or expertise for any length of time was "too costly", Tew said.
"The challenge for the current group is to be ahead of the game, so whatever he is able to provide to the Argentinians in terms of our stuff will be stale.
"I think we've seen that in the first five games [under Hansen] anyway."
So are the NZRU uncomfortable with Henry's expanded role this week?
"We wouldn't have been comfortable under the contract we had with him, but he's a free agent and he can make his own calls," Tew said.
"We always envisaged he'd help prepare Argentina for this championship as part of the commitment we made to them coming into the [tournament].
"We wanted them to be able to put their best foot forward and we knew they had a bit of ground to make up."
Of course Tew, and the All Blacks, will be hoping Henry's magic can't close the home team's 33-10 winning margin last time the sides met.

Can only be good for Argentinian rugby.

yeah, good on him. More top tier coaches should spend time helping out (sort of) second tier teams.

theyre everywhere it seems. Next year we now have the Lions with coach gatland against an ozzie side with coach deans ( if he lasts that long). Surreal...

damage_13 wrote:yeah, good on him. More top tier coaches should spend time helping out (sort of) second tier teams.

Officially, for the IRB, the first tier are 10 teams, and Argentina is one of them. Formerly 6NH + 3SH + Argentina, that is now 6NH + 4SH.

damage_13 wrote:yeah, good on him. More top tier coaches should spend time helping out (sort of) second tier teams.

The Argies are not 2nd Tier. The boks don't draw with second tier teams!!!
(except occasionally against England )















Okay, sorry, I'm stirring..... I couldn't help it.....

thats why I wrote (sort of)

I thought he had instructions from Jk to go out and find a couple of tight forwards for the Blues.

That'd be interesting Laurie, hope we start seeing Argies in NZ, to fill gaps perhaps. I'm sure our youngsters could learn a thing or two from a grizzled Argie forward. They'd prob have to take a pay cut mind.

Actually on Saturday night we could see the first all Auckland front row playing for the All blacks, for quite some time. just depends on how Hansen uses the bench.

I actually think henrys regretting stepping down. Sometimes I think he put what he thought what was best for the Abs before his own ambitions and this year he probably would have enjoyed coaching the ABs with all that weight over the last few years lifted.

Instead we move on to yet another head coach under pressure to achieve, fully knowing that there are several coaches around ready to step in if he stuffs up.

Sir Saint Ted? Dispensing rugby miracles. Hope not tomorrow, but hope so next year for NZ rugby's sake.

Taylorman wrote:theyre everywhere it seems. Next year we now have the Lions with coach gatland against an ozzie side with coach deans ( if he lasts that long). Surreal...

Australia will finish third losing matches to Argentina, SA and NZ in this years Rugby Championship and Deans will be sacked. Thats my prediction.

Hopefully Henry doesnt have Hanson on speed dial anymore.

Biltong wrote:Can only be good for Argentinian rugby.

Even better for world Rugby. I'm big on seeing an organic growth in the sport. I think proven coaches developing emerging nations is a great idea.

GunsGerms wrote:

Taylorman wrote:theyre everywhere it seems. Next year we now have the Lions with coach gatland against an ozzie side with coach deans ( if he lasts that long). Surreal...

Australia will finish third losing matches to Argentina, SA and NZ in this years Rugby Championship and Deans will be sacked. Thats my prediction.

Well, at this moment you must pray for finish third and not forth.

Good on Graham Henry. His wealth of knowledge will definitely speed Argentinas progress.

maestegmafia wrote:Good on Graham Henry. His wealth of knowledge will definitely speed Argentinas progress.

But hes got to remember that Argentina is only his part time job, his first obligation is to the Blues.

The blues have finished there season though haven't they..!

What he is doing is admirable, I'm sure it's not free, but it will make rugby a better sport helping Argentina raise its game.

They did well vs the blacks yesterday

Maesteg

Sir John Kirwan has brought Sir Graham Henry onto the staff of the Blues as technical adviser. but if Ted can recruit a couple of Argie tight forwards they wouldnt go amiss.

maestegmafia wrote:They did well vs the blacks yesterday

Yes, its true, but no difference with the last game Pumas vs NZ played in RWC 2011. In that game NZ win 33-10 after half time 6-7.
In fact yesterday game was a perfect copy of that game. 1 Pumas try in first half, and Pumas doing a great defence till minute 60, and in that last 20 minutes NZ did 2 tries. And in that game Herny was in NZ box.
Viewing yesterday match I had a "deja-vu" .

aucklandlaurie wrote:
Maesteg

Sir John Kirwan has brought Sir Graham Henry onto the staff of the Blues as technical adviser. but if Ted can recruit a couple of Argie tight forwards they wouldnt go amiss.

I guess it is inevitable that the Argies will start to join Super 15 teams. Maybe in a few years Bueno Aires will have a super XV franchise too.

Argie fan wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:They did well vs the blacks yesterday

Yes, its true, but no difference with the last game Pumas vs NZ played in RWC 2011. In that game NZ win 33-10 after half time 6-7.
In fact yesterday game was a perfect copy of that game. 1 Pumas try in first half, and Pumas doing a great defence till minute 60, and in that last 20 minutes NZ did 2 tries. And in that game Herny was in NZ box.
Viewing yesterday match I had a "deja-vu" .

It's still a good result. Teams higher ranked than Argentina have fallen to much larger margins mate.

That Argie performance was much better than the 2011 one I reckon. One because theyve backed it up after both the NZ one last year and after the SA result two weeks ago, showing theyre not a one trick pony and are here to stay.

By the way...We do need some forwards at the Blues since it seems Tony Woodcock is going to the Highlanders...

Hes going to find life is very different under Jamie Joseph than it was under Pat Lam

He's a seasoned pro though Laurie, he'll be ok. Odd move with Auckland finally looking good for next year. And odd for a seasoned Aucklander.

Heard on the radio that GH wanted to have a post game drink in the ABs changing room last weekend but was denied. Seems the ABs weren't too happy afterall and think Ted was getting a bit cute (tracksuit etc).

So, Henry is a free agent - Wonder if he would like to do a spot of consulting at the RFU, similar to what Eddie Jones did with SA.

ebop wrote:Heard on the radio that GH wanted to have a post game drink in the ABs changing room last weekend but was denied. Seems the ABs weren't too happy afterall and think Ted was getting a bit cute (tracksuit etc).

Not what I heard ebop. I heard hansen said he'd come straight into the Ab changing room and had a beer with them just like old times.