Steve Hansen has confirmed that he will leave the All Blacks after the 2019 World Cup, meaning attention will now turn to his successor. Joe Schmidt dropped a bombshell among rugby circles in his homeland in stating that the Irish job will be his final coaching role, meaning that current All-Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster is among the favourites to succeed Hansen.
Also in the running is current Crusaders boss Scott Robertson, and he has today received a ringing endorsement for the role from his assistant coach Ronan O'Gara. Robertson has won two titles in his first two seasons in charge with Crusaders, and is out of contract next year and has openly declared his interest in the job in the past.
O'Gara believes Robertson is the All Blacks' head coach-in-waiting.
"Of course, yeah. I think it will definitely happen, there's no doubt it", he told Stuff.co.nz.
He's made of the right stuff, Razor. He's got great energy, charisma, ideas. He's a leader of men. Yeah, it will happen.
If Robertson does leave - the Crusaders will need a new head coach. Would O'Gara be interested?
"Of course I would, yeah," O'Gara said when asked if he would be interested in becoming the Crusaders' head coach.
But it's all ifs and buts. I don't deal in ifs and buts . . . I know what I'm doing for this campaign and that's all that bothers and interests me. I'm happy doing what I'm doing. It's ifs and buts for Razor. But he was the guy that gave me the break here. Who knows, I could go where ever he goes next.
There is plenty to happen yet, but O'Gara as the head coach of one of the biggest rugby sides in the world - or part of the coaching set-up in the biggest team in the world - is a distinct possibility.
Regardless of what happens next for O'Gara - you can be guaranteed it will be interesting.
[Stuff]
