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Opinionated Rugby Commentary - by Fans for Fans
Spill what you really think about events in the rugby world.
Should Graham Henry Help Argentina? 2 views
07 September 2012 by The Swede Eaters
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Should Sir Graham Henry be allowed to help Argentina when he only just finished coaching the All Blacks?
The All Blacks host Argentina on Saturday night in Wellington, but
it will be interesting seeing the coach who masterminded so many great
victories for the All Blacks culminating in the Rugby World Cup 2011
victory, sitting in the opposition's coaching box. Do you think that
Sir Graham Henry should be allowed to be an advisor for the Pumas?
I
personally have a problem with it happening so soon after he finished
coaching the All Blacks last year. He has too much intellectual
property to be allowed to go and team up with the opposition. In many
jobs not just in rugby there is a stand down period of so many years
before you can setup or help a rival organisation using intellectual
ideas etc. from your previous job. Hence with my job working for a
magazine this would stop setting up a rival for a set number of years. I
also think that it isn't so bad if he doesn't give anything away about
the All Blacks game plans and strategies, but it is a fine line to draw
and I think it is too difficult to justify for Henry.
Most
people don't have a problem with his role helping Argentina citing that
it is a professional era and he can do what he wants since he is no
longer with the All Blacks.
I don't have a problem with wanting
to grow the game, but I wonder if his role will have much of an effect
on the Pumas? If Argentina defy the odds and actually beat the All
Blacks, I wonder if people will still be so forgiving?
It is
interesting how most people seem to be fine with this, yet if he was to
show up in the Springboks or Wallabies coaching box as an adviser then
that would be unacceptable.
As far as I can tell, his role is
more focussing on fine tuning the way that Argentina play rather than
giving away a blueprint of how to beat the All Blacks. I do think that
there is a very fine line between the two of these and it would be
better if he stood down for a set period of time before being able to
jump ship and help other opposition teams.
Another thought here
is that this could actually benefit the All Blacks by bringing Argentina
up to a level where they can beat the All Black's major rivals like the
Springboks and Wallabies, although if they beat the All Blacks it would
be a different story.
Coaches from other countries have helped
assist other teams for years. The most well known is probably rugby
league legend Wayne Bennett. He helped mastermind a Kiwis victory in
the Rugby League World Cup of 2008, but while there was plenty of outcry
in Australia which New Zealanders ignored, there was about three years
from the time he finished coaching the Australian Rugby League team
(Kangaroos) in 2005 until he jumped ship in 2008.
Jake White has
done it too, jumping ship from South African rugby coach in 2007 but
while he helps out the Wallabies now, it is several years later.
In summary,
While
it is the professional era and it is great to grow the game of rugby in
more developing countries, I would feel far better about Sir Graham
Henry helping the Argentinan Pumas Rugby team out if he had a two - four
year stand down period. While I think his role of advisor is probably
not giving away the blueprint on how to beat the All Blacks, it still
gives a bad impression and could introduce a conflict of interest into
the situation. Coaches have to go where the money is in this
professional era, but I think there needs to be a line drawn in the sand
when coaches who have coached the national team of one country end up
joining the coaching or advisory role with one of the their opponents.
At the very least I hope they developed some ground rules for his role with Argentina that he is obliged to adhere to.
What
do you think? Should Sir Graham Henry be allowed to be an advisor to
the Argentinan Pumas rugby team facing the All Blacks in Wellington
tomorrow? Or does he know too much?
http://www.superrugbytips.com/2012/09/should-sir-graham-henry-be-allowed-to.html
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Tags:
Graham Henry, All Blacks, Pumas
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