Steve Hansen

Steve Hansen is a rugby union coach. He was the head coach of the Welsh national team. He became the ninth Welsh coach in 13 years, after Graham Henry parted company with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) in 2002. During his first game in charge, Wales performed well but lost by 37-33 to France. This became a familiar theme during his tenure as coach. Events reached a head during 2003 when for the first time in their history Wales lost every match in the Six Nations Championship and went onto record a streak of ten consecutive test match defeats.

He coached Wales during the 2003 Rugby World Cup, in which a strong display against the All Blacks and a spirited quarter final loss England stopped the criticism of his coaching. He stepped down as Wales head coach in the summer of 2004 after not seeking to renew his contract and was succeeded by Mike Ruddock. He is currently coaching in New Zealand as an assistant to his former mentor Graham Henry. Hansen was considered as a likely candidate to become the next Crusaders coach starting in the 2009 Super 14 season, after Robbie Deans left to coach Australia, but in fact the Crusaders coaching job went to former All Black Todd Blackadder

See also

*High School Old Boys RFC

References

External links

* [http://www.wru.co.uk/14058_14069.php Wales profile]
* [http://sport.guardian.co.uk/sixnations2002/story/0,,646868,00.html Hansen stands in for Wales]
* [http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0500rugbyunion/0200news/tm_objectid=15317358&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=i-m-so-proud-of-you--says-old-boss-hansen-name_page.html I'm so proud of you, says old boss Hansen]