Tuesday, 16 October 2007
Most rugby fans think Graham Henry should be retained as coach despite the All Blacks making an early exit from the World Cup, according to a survey conducted by UMR Research.
New Zealand posted their worst World Cup result when losing in the quarter-finals to France this month, leaving Henry's position tenuous at best as the New Zealand Rugby Union reviews the failed campaign.
Previous coaches John Hart, in 1999, and John Mitchell, in 2003, did not stay in the post after New Zealand's semifinal exits at World Cup tournaments.
UMR Research conducted the telephone survey of 750 New Zealanders aged 18 and over between last Thursday and Monday.
It said 61 percent considered Henry deserved to be reappointed, with 33 percent saying it was time to give someone else a ago.
Crusaders coach Robbie Deans was seen as the man most likely to be appointed should Henry lose the job, with 30 percent identifying Deans as their preference.
However, a majority of 56 percent said they were unsure who should replace Henry, while his assistants since 2004, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith, gained the support of just 3 and 2 percent, respectively, of those surveyed.
In a head-to-head selection between Deans and Hansen, Deans won the support of 47 percent and Hansen 18 percent, with 35 percent unsure.
New Zealand's 18-20 loss to France in Cardiff was put down as one bad game by what otherwise was a champion team by 63 percent, compared to 27 percent who said it was a result of deep-seated weakness in the team.
UMR Research said when asked a similar question after New Zealand's demise at the semifinals stage of the 2003 World Cup, 38 percent blamed it on a deep-seated weakness in the team.
Responses to the survey came from 533 of the 750 people approached who said they were "very interested" or "fairly interested" in rugby. The survey had a margin for error of 4.2 percent. – NZPA
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