All three must quit

By JOHN MATHESON and DAVID LONG - Sunday News | Sunday, 14 October 2007

World Cup winner AJ Whetton has warned the NZRU to steer clear of Graham Henry's assistant coaches when it comes to naming the next All Blacks coach.

Whetton - a part of the victorious 1987 team - last night demanded Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith are tarred with the same brush of failure as head coach Henry.

"A World Cup is not about one individual or two or three players," Whetton said. "You're all in this together and that's paramount.

"There's been talk that if Graham stood down the two assistant coaches would be put forward (to coach the team next year).

"But they were all in this together so they should all take (the fall) together."

Henry remarkably has still not resigned despite leading the All Blacks to their worst-ever World Cup finish.

And the last coach to lead the team to a World Cup final continues to be dumbfounded by Henry's refusal to fall on his sword.

"I am surprised he hasn't resigned,'' said Mains who coached the All Blacks at the 1995 World Cup.

"Clearly his World Cup campaign was not successful.

"And given that he is on record as saying he wouldn't have changed anything about the campaign this time around, how can he expect anyone to want four more years of the same?

"All Blacks rugby can do without a repeat performance of what went on in Cardiff."

Henry yesterday told Sunday News he would not make any statements for another five or six weeks.

Mains said that wasn't good enough.

"My own view is that the sooner he resigns the better.

"Once he's gone rugby in this country can begin to heal and move forward in a positive direction."

Mains has been a long time critic of Henry's rotation and conditioning policy. And in his exclusive Sunday News column today he makes a plea for Robbie Deans to be installed as the next All Blacks coach.

Deans - whose coaching record is impressive enough - has another important credential. He was an All Black, wearing the famed jersey 19 times in the 80s.

"I can't help wonder if Graham Henry had actually worn the black jersey, would he have been so willing to mess around with the All Black ethos and traditions so much."