I was listening to an interview with an English actor recently.
I’m paraphrasing it slightly, but the bloke made one remark that has stayed with me.
“Being an idealist will make a hypocrite of you eventually.’’
I was reminded of that comment when I read that Steve Hansen was doing some consultancy work with the Wallabies.
I don’t care who Hansen works for. I don’t care what he tells them and I especially don’t mind if he’s paid for it.
Now, in this instance, the wagons have been circled quickly.
Reports are that Hansen informed All Blacks coach Ian Foster before accepting the role, that he isn’t being paid and nor is he giving away trade secrets.
No, he’s merely running his eye over Australia’s Rugby World Cup squad for a couple of days, as a favour to old mate Eddie Jones.
But what if he wasn’t? What if he was actually joining the Wallaby staff full-time? What if he was giving Jones chapter and verse on the All Blacks?
Would or more importantly – should – anyone care?
I don’t watch rugby through an All Blacks eyepatch.
In the same way that my admiration for club and franchise teams waxes and wanes, so it is that I look more favourably upon certain iterations of the All Blacks than others.
My view is informed by the people running, coaching and playing for those teams. Do they behave and play in a way that appeals to me or do they not?
I’m not wedded to teams for life, because teams are not static. They evolve and some are simply more likeable, relatable and capable than others.
Hansen used to have obligations to the All Blacks and New Zealand, but now he doesn’t. He should be free to ply his trade however and wherever he pleases.
I’m certainly not so idealistic about the All Blacks as to suggest no-one who’s ever been in that environment should ever hitch their wagon somewhere else.
In Hansen’s case, I would be delighted if he were head coach of another nation. I think he’d struggle with most of them, because he was spoiled by the talent he had here, but his involvement would certainly raise interest when his team met the All Blacks.
We are talking about professional sport, after all.
As I alluded to, Hansen was quick to get into damage control here. He got his version of events out quickly and made sure everything looked as innocent as possible.
But, my point is, he shouldn’t have to. We, as the viewing public, should be more mature about this stuff.
We shouldn’t have any team on such a pedestal that we immediately cry foul when a coach or player takes a job somewhere else.
Hansen owes no debt to New Zealand rugby and nor does any coach or player for that matter.
After all, we can be pretty cut throat with the ones we don’t want anymore.
