Ardent rugby fans with great expectations for the Rugby World Cup may be surprised that All Black coach Graham Henry does not consider his current role
as vital as his former profession of teaching.
“Being a school teacher is way more important than being an All Black Coach,” he said, recalling his days as a teacher and school principal.
He was speaking to Massey News, an official publication of the Massey University, following the launch of the Massey University Rugby World Cup website on July 21.
Henry graduated from Massey University with a Bachelor’s degree in Education in 1982. With an additional Diploma in Physical Education, he was Deputy Headmaster and Headmaster of Kelston Boys’ High School.
He said the University degree enabled him to develop a work ethic that has benefited the sports teams with which he has been involved.
He guided Rugby and Cricket teams every year during his teaching career.
“I had to work exceptionally hard and balance my lifestyle to get through [the degree], despite having a young family, running a school hostel, in full teaching mode, coaching school teams and so on,” he said.
He attributed his success to the training he received at the University.
“You have a big responsibility in helping children develop and you are working with young minds. It is therefore a very important job,” he said.
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Henry believes that his days at the University as a student and at the School as a teacher helped him build a successful career.
“Just to be able to fit it all together and get a good result at the end was very special. There are many schoolteachers who have finished up as coaches around the world, and I think you learn about coaching people and educating people, which is pretty similar, and you learn how to get the best out of people,” he said.
So what is the team’s mental approach to the epic task at hand?
“You must employ a philosophy, adopt strategies and concentrate on them during the World Cup. If you start looking for silver bullets, you are wasting your time, because they do not exist.
“I think we are lucky, we have an experienced group of people – the management has been together for some time, over two World Cups. Richie McCaw has been the All Blacks Captain for six years, with strong leadership qualities,” he said.
“I think it is about understanding that there are certain strategies you have to nail, do not deviate from what you know, and always try to get better; always try to improve on what you did the year before.”
Honing skills
Henry urged professional sportspersons to pursue an academic career.
“The universities are going out of their way to ensure international sports people get opportunities to pursue academic careers as well. They may have the option of doing long-term courses and be able to appear for their examinations overseas,” he said.
All Blacks should hone their skills to become better players by finding the right balance on and off the field, he said, citing Lock Sam Whitelock, an Agricultural Science student, as an example.
“I think that is marvellous,” Henry said.
“It’s a great balance; the pressures of Rugby are alleviated by the pressures of his academic career and vice versa. Those who pursue such things in life become better players.”
He said he was simply a cog in the greater All Black machine, and that it will take a united team effort for New Zealand to win the Rugby World Cup for the first time in 24 years.
Henry said he would pay kudos to the role played by Massey University in his success if the All Blacks hoist aloft the William Webb Ellis Trophy in October.
