BBC Rugby Union: Sir Steve Hansen Believes the English Game Lacks Alignment, Hampering International Success
According to former All Blacks head coach Sir Steve Hansen, the English rugby union setup is not as cohesive as those of Ireland and New Zealand, which he believes is ultimately hindering the national team’s progress on the international stage.
Despite being the wealthiest rugby union in the world, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has only one Rugby World Cup triumph to its name. England also boasts a vast player pool, but the team has rarely been a dominant force in Test rugby, particularly in recent years.
While the Red Rose appear to be making improvements under new head coach Steve Borthwick ahead of their series against the All Blacks in New Zealand, Hansen believes the underlying issues within English rugby need to be addressed.
“The biggest difference between English rugby and, say, Irish rugby and New Zealand rugby is that there’s probably not the cohesiveness from the top down and the bottom up,” Hansen told The Times’ The Ruck podcast. “In New Zealand and Ireland, they’re trying to work together as best they can.”
The former All Blacks boss, who was in charge from 2012 to 2019, acknowledged that there are always disagreements, but the focus in New Zealand and Ireland was primarily on making the national team successful. This was achieved by compromising with the Super Rugby franchises to ensure the players were in top condition for international duty.
“I just wonder sometimes in the English environment, there’s so much good work going on everywhere but is it cohesive? Is it all about the athlete or is it about the people that own the athlete? I’m not sure it’s all pulling in the same direction,” Hansen added.
As the England national team prepares to take on the formidable All Blacks, Hansen’s comments highlight the ongoing challenges facing the English game and the need for greater alignment between the various stakeholders to unlock the country’s true potential in rugby union.
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