John Hart (rugby coach)

John Bernard Hart ONZM was a New Zealand rugby union coach, mainly for Auckland and the All Blacks. After many years in business, during which he rose to become Group Employee Relations Director for Fletcher Challenge, then New Zealand's largest company, cite web | url=http://www.csnz.co.nz/default,3834,john_hart.sm | title=John Hart | accessdate=2007-12-31 | publisher=Celebrity Speakers (NZ) Ltd] John Hart began his first class coaching career for Auckland in 1982. He coached Auckland to the National Provincial Championship (NPC) title in 1982, 1984 and 1985, and it was during his tenure that, in 1985, Auckland won the Ranfurly Shield from Canterbury and began the series of 61 successful defences that remains a record in shield history.

Hart, together with Alex Wyllie, was an assistant coach under Brian Lochore when the All Blacks won the first Rugby World Cup in 1987. In 1988, Lochore retired from coaching and Wyllie was appointed to succeed him, an appointment that upset many, especially Auckland, fans. Hart then refused to be part of the selection panel, but was eventually appointed co-coach with Wyllie for the 1991 Rugby World Cup. In hindsight, this was a mistake: the personality clash between the two coaches was reflected in a split within the squad into Auckland and Canterbury factions.

Following the All Blacks' loss to Australia in the semi-finals, Wyllie resigned, while Hart sought to become head coach, but was beaten to the post by the then Otago coach Laurie Mains.

Mains coached the All Blacks to the final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, which was won by South Africa, continued as coach for a year-end tour to France, after which he resigned and was replaced by John Hart. During Hart's tenure as head coach, the All Blacks achieved their first ever series win in South Africa, in 1996, and won the Tri-Nations three times, in 1996/97 and 1999. But when New Zealand lost unexpectedly to France in the semi-final of the 1999 Rugby World Cup, Hart, like his immediate predecessors, resigned. cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/rugby_world_cup/teams/new_zealand/505778.stm | title=All Blacks coach Hart quits | accessdate=2007-12-31 | publisher=BBC News] As head coach, Hart was in charge of the All Blacks for 41 games, winning 31, drawing one and losing nine.

In 1990, John Hart was the coach of a New Zealand Under-21 side that toured Australia; one of the players in the squad was Martin Johnson, who captained England to the title at the 2003 Rugby World Cup. cite web | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,21690-1509922-realmedia,00.html | title=Youngsters can climb high from base camps | accessdate=2007-12-31 | publisher=Times Online]

In January 2005, Hart was appointed to the Board of Cullen Sports, owners of the New Zealand Warriors, a New Zealand rugby league club, for which he is now the Executive Director of Football. He also serves on the boards of a number of other companies, provides consultancy services in the fields of human resources and leadership, and is an active speaker on the lecture circuit. cite web | url=http://www.csnz.co.nz/default,3834,john_hart.sm | title=John Hart | accessdate=2007-12-31 | publisher=Celebrity Speakers (NZ) Ltd]

For his services to rugby, John Hart was appointed an Officer of The New Zealand Order of Merit in The Queen's Birthday Honours 1997. cite web | url=http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/list.asp?id=23 | title=The Queen's Birthday Honours 1997 | accessdate=2007-12-31 | publisher=Dept of the Prime Minister and Cabinet]

Hart is the co-author (with Paul Thomas) of two books, "Straight from the Hart" (1993) (ISBN 1852915331) and "Change of Hart" (1997) (ISBN 1869585712); the latter gives a first-hand account of the transition to professional rugby, in which he played a significant part.

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