Wayne Smith

Wayne Smith is retiring after the Lions and Investec Series. Absolute legend!! Thank you Mr Smith for all you've done for NZ rugby

ebop wrote:Wayne Smith is retiring after the Lions and Investec Series. Absolute legend!! Thank you Mr Smith for all you've done for NZ rugby

Oh nooooo didnt know that.
Id better ring him...

Yeah phone him Tman and say stick in there till after 2019

Why did Smith leave the All Blacks the first time round?

ebop wrote:Yeah phone him Tman and say stick in there till after 2019

Was engaged, someone named Tana on the line.

Only another 14 people for Gatland to assasinate before the head coaches roll is his then.

England missed a trick 5 years ago not getting him, maybe its panned out OK eventually but its been a long painful ride to accept that a SANZAR coach was needed to move them on.

Gooseberry wrote:England missed a trick 5 years ago not getting him, maybe its panned out OK eventually but its been a long painful ride to accept that a SANZAR coach was needed to move them on.  

Missing out on Smith was a shame - mitigated only by the fact it meant we did not have Mallet as well.

Wayne Smith didn't want to coach England did he? Turned down England twice. Surprisingly can't blame the RFU for that.

Could have offered the man his own palace, a knighthood, a bevy of supermodels and pay him a higher wage than Wayne Rooney and he'd still probably turn England down.

Mallett claimed that he and Smith would come as a joints package. Unless the Kiwi confirms he was interesting we will never know. That he turned down two other approaches seems to be accepted.

Loved his work with Saints.

Gooseberry wrote:Only another 14 people for Gatland to assasinate before the head coaches roll is his then.

England missed a trick 5 years ago not getting him, maybe its panned out OK eventually but its been a long painful ride to accept that a SANZAR coach was needed to move them on.  

Smith is the real Brains behind the All Blacks, probably the best analyst in the game. With respect, don't think Gatland will be replacing that...

Gooseberry wrote:Only another 14 people for Gatland to assasinate before the head coaches roll is his then.

England missed a trick 5 years ago not getting him, maybe its panned out OK eventually but its been a long painful ride to accept that a SANZAR coach was needed to move them on.  

Why are you so obsessed with Gatland? Success does breed envy I understand that but your obsession is unhealthy.

Wayne at immigration at Heathrow

Pretty funny

"I remember in 2009 I went to the northern hemisphere to meet with Sonny Bill Williams and Dan Carter. I came into Heathrow and the guy on immigration obviously recognised me and he put his hands round his neck and started making choking noises.

"I said 'what's up mate?' and he goes 'you guys are chokers'. I told him I couldn't believe this, that I just wanted to come in for a couple of weeks to see a couple of players. 'Nah, you're chokers, mate'. It made a real impression on me."

http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/92805242/wayne-smith-insists-exit-will-be-good-for-the-all-blacks--and-recalls-heathrow-choker-taunt

It'll be interesting to see if this upsets the NZ post Lions. It's obvious Smith is a great coach, will it affect them on the pitch?

Have to respect the guy for putting national pride above coin, not often this is the case.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:It'll be interesting to see if this upsets the NZ post Lions. It's obvious Smith is a great coach, will it affect them on the pitch?

Have to respect the guy for putting national pride above coin, not often this is the case.

Yes it's a real concern, thankfully most of his thinking has been downloaded and has been put into place by the ABs and probably the Super sides that it's really his ability to innovate that will be missed.

His ability to analyse the game and come up with new ideas based on trends, identifying opportunities and directions the game can be taken, something critical for the ABs to stay ahead of the pack with no one in front to chase, will be missed. In that respect there's no one around like him.

On a side note it's not really pushing himself as a coach to just stick with coaching the best side in the world is it?

I have more admiration for the likes of Schmidt,Cotter even Gatland for at least not sticking to a cushy job.

The "choker" jibe must have really affected Smith. Was that maybe one of the reasons he didn't want to coach England?

I think you have to respect him for his national pride, as Pooly says. If he felt like he couldn't give another side his best while coaching against NZ, he'd only be doing that country and himself a disservice by taking the job

You can respect him for turning down a great opportunity to challenge himself as a coach but I personally think he should have put his national pride aside. In the end it's his choice but he's not really tested himself.

Odd statement BS.

The guy has proved himself elsewhere (Saints, Treviso, Super rugby) and then moved on to the best side in rugby, why move back down?

Should McCall leave Saracens and go and coach Bedford to prove himself in the Championship? No...you move on to better things if they're available.

Proved himself by winning nothing with Saints or Treviso.... then moving back to his comfort zone....

No Mccall should coach either Ireland or England when Schmidt or Jones leave or maybe even another country like France.

As you bring up Mccall he's won trophies in the Pro12,AP and ERCC.

The England job is one of the biggest in rugby yet Wayne Smith turned it down.

Turned it down to coach the best side in the world.......

To be fair to McCall, he has a hug budget at Sarries which Smith didn't have at any club. You could say that McCall isn't really testing himslef being at a club like Saracens. Maybe move to a club with less of a budget like Falcons and see if he's actually that good.

Sgt Pooly you might have a point if Mccall hadn't already won the Pro12 with Ulster, their only 1.

I don't think Mccall will stay at Saracens for his entire career. I'd like him to move onto international level and no not just chase the NZ job like Wayne Smith.

beshocked wrote:On a side note it's not really pushing himself as a coach to just stick with coaching the best side in the world is it?

I have more admiration for the likes of Schmidt,Cotter even Gatland for at least not sticking to a cushy job.

The "choker" jibe must have really affected Smith. Was that maybe one of the reasons he didn't want to coach England?

Smith took on Northampton at a low ebb and left them better than he found them, and he took the Crusaders from last place in Super Rugby in 1996 under Coffey to champions in 98 & 99 - his squad won it again under Deans in '00 after Smith took the NZ head coach job. And that was the Crusaders pre-McCaw/Carter.

The "choker" jibe probably didn't help re. England but ultimately Smith's a homebody - he stepped down from the NZ job in 2011 so that he could live close to his ailing mother & took an asst. coach role with the Chiefs (helping them to 2 Super titles after years of mid-table mediocrity) as he could do the role while getting to sleep in his own bed most of the time.

He had to be arm twisted (via a call on his patriotism) into a return to the NZ set up in 2015. He's spent most of the last 30 years coaching professionally*, including 12 (prior to this year) with NZ, can't really blame him for opting for a break as he turns 60.


*I'm assuming his time in Italy in 1986-88 & 1992-94 were paid under the table.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Turned it down to coach the best side in the world.......

To be fair to McCall, he has a hug budget at Sarries which Smith didn't have at any club. You could say that McCall isn't really testing himslef being at a club like Saracens. Maybe move to a club with less of a budget like Falcons and see if he's actually that good.

Technically he moved from Treviso to the Crusaders, who finished in last place in Super 12 the year before he took over in 1997. They were champions in '98 & '99, without massive changes in the player base.

Would welcome him back at Saints if he fancies a return to the UK

beshocked wrote:On a side note it's not really pushing himself as a coach to just stick with coaching the best side in the world is it?

I have more admiration for the likes of Schmidt,Cotter even Gatland for at least not sticking to a cushy job.

The "choker" jibe must have really affected Smith. Was that maybe one of the reasons he didn't want to coach England?

It's well known when he was AB head coach he didn't like the limelight, fronting the media endlessly etc so yes Id say that's part of it. He just found he was more useful at the ground level, getting stuck in with the players, the analysis, all the groundwork stuff. Not really about admiration, they're two different roles, and if anything he's made Hansen's life all that much easier. In that way I think he and Lancaster are similar, good thinkers, but not necessarily great leaders.

beshocked wrote:You can respect him for turning down a great opportunity to challenge himself as a coach but I personally think he should have put his national pride aside. In the end it's his choice but he's not really tested himself.

That sure is some twisted logic

I imagine Smith has been challenged far more in coaching the ABs than he ever would have been if he took on a role dragging a deadbeat NH outfit up.

beshocked wrote:You can respect him for turning down a great opportunity to challenge himself as a coach but I personally think he should have put his national pride aside. In the end it's his choice but he's not really tested himself.

 Having pride in giving your best for your country is nothing to be taken lightly. 
Personally think he knew his own limits. Better on the training paddock then in the box similar to Lancaster and one of the games great innovators. Latest invention supposedly is the chip kick pass the NZ franchises are doing so well with in Super 18 atm