All Blacks coach Steve Hansen does not expect to be in charge when New Zealand defend World Cup title in 2019
New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen has admitted that he does not expect to be in the All Blacks hotseat when they bid to land a third successive World Cup title in 2019.
The All Blacks made history on Saturday, beating southern hemisphere rivals Australia 34-17 at Twickenham to become the first nation to successfully retain their status as world champions.
New Zealand were hot favourites heading into the tournament having lost only three Tests in the four years since lifting the Webb Ellis trophy in 2011, and duly claimed their third World Cup crown — their first on foreign soil.
Former Wales boss Hansen assumed his current role four years ago after Graham Henry abdicated his position as head coach post-World Cup, and the 56-year-old envisages a transition of power in the not too distant future.
“There’s a reason why the contract only lasts until 2017, because I’m not sure about that [his future],” said Hansen. “I wouldn’t say no but I’m certainly not saying yes either. You only get 10 years for murder back home.
“I like the idea of changing the guard halfway through a cycle which has a World Cup in the middle of it. I think when people come in, it is easy to get some really dramatic shift early on and it’s a lot harder to keep that momentum going.
“Also, for a long time, we have put everything on the World Cup as the centre, but unless you’ve got real strength of character, you can be tricked into making decisions which are right for your survival, as opposed to what is right for the team.
“I would probably say it is more likely that I won’t be there after 2017.”
Despite overseeing an unprecedented era of success — New Zealand have won 49 of 54 games under his stewardship — ex-policeman Hansen concedes the pressure of Test match rugby is difficult to diffuse.
“Any Test match is emotional. You spend a whole lot of time building up to it, then you don’t have any control over it,” added Hansen.
“You are sitting there and it’s the only job in the world where they stick a camera in your face and want to record all your emotions. It’s probably not fair but it’s what the fans want, I guess, and what TV wants so we go with it.
“You try to keep it under wraps and just try to enjoy the day. I’m not one to get too carried away.”