Graham Henry facts for kids
Henry in 2012
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| Birth name | Graham William Henry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 8 June 1946 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Christchurch, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Christchurch Boys' High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University of Otago (DipPhEd) Massey University (BEd) |
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| Spouse | Raewyn | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | Three | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Rugby union coach | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sir Graham William Henry (born 8 June 1946) is a famous New Zealand rugby union coach. He is best known for leading the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby team. People often call him 'Ted'. He guided the All Blacks to win the 2011 Rugby World Cup, which was a huge achievement for the country.
Before becoming a full-time coach, Henry played rugby for Canterbury. He also played cricket for Canterbury and Otago. For many years, he worked as a school teacher and even a headmaster.
In the 1990s, he coached very successful teams in Auckland. His Auckland provincial team won the National Provincial Championship four times in a row (1993-1996). He also led the Auckland Blues to win the first-ever Super 12 title in 1996.
From 1998 to 2002, Henry coached the Wales national team. He had a great run with them, including winning 11 matches in a row. In 2001, he was the head coach for the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia, but they lost the series.
He became the head coach of the All Blacks in 2004. He had many successful seasons, including a big win over the British & Irish Lions in 2005. After a tough loss in the quarter-finals of the 2007 Rugby World Cup, there was some debate about his future. However, he was reappointed and went on to lead the All Blacks to win the 2011 Rugby World Cup final. He stepped down in 2011 after coaching 140 matches and winning five Tri Nations titles.
After leaving the All Blacks, Henry worked as an advisor and assistant coach for the Argentina national team from 2012 to 2013.
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Early Coaching Career
Graham Henry went to Christchurch Boys' High School. He then studied at the University of Otago, where he earned a diploma in Physical Education in 1969. He became a teacher, teaching geography and physical education.
He taught at two schools famous for their rugby teams: Auckland Grammar School and Kelston Boys' High School. He coached the top rugby teams at both schools. He started teaching at Auckland Grammar in 1973. While there, he also earned a Bachelor of Education from Massey University in 1979.
In 1982, he became the deputy headmaster at Kelston Boys' High School. After the headmaster passed away in 1987, Henry became the headmaster. He held this important role until 1996, when he decided to become a full-time rugby coach.
His first major coaching job was with the Auckland provincial rugby team. He coached them from 1992 to 1997. During this time, Auckland won the NPC four years in a row, from 1993 to 1996.
Henry also coached the Blues in the Super 12 competition. They won the title in 1996 and 1997. They also reached the final in 1998. He even returned briefly as a technical adviser in 2003, when the Blues won the title again.
Coaching Wales and the Lions
In 1998, Graham Henry was not chosen for the All Blacks coaching job. So, he moved to coach the Wales team. At that time, he became one of the highest-paid rugby coaches in the world.
He was very successful with Wales. The media nicknamed him "the Great Redeemer" because he led his team to 11 wins in a row in 1999. This made him very popular in Wales.
Because of his success, he was chosen to coach the British and Irish Lions for their tour to Australia in 2001. This was special because he was the first Lions coach who was not from one of the Home Nations (England, Ireland, Scotland, or Wales). However, the Lions lost the test series 2-1.
Henry left Wales in 2002 after a big loss to Ireland. He then returned to New Zealand. He became the defensive coach for the Blues during their successful 2003 Super 12 season.
Leading the All Blacks
After the All Blacks lost in the semi-finals of the 2003 Rugby World Cup, the coaching job became open. Graham Henry applied and got the job in December 2003.
He put together a strong coaching team. He brought in Steve Hansen as forwards coach and Wayne Smith as attack coach. Henry himself was in charge of defence. They were often called the "Three Wise Men" because of their experience.
His first Test matches as coach were against the 2003 Rugby World Cup winners, England, in 2004. The All Blacks beat England convincingly in both matches. However, they struggled in the 2004 Tri-Nations, finishing last. Some people criticised their attacking style. But they had a strong finish to 2004, including a big win against France in Paris.
In 2005, Henry coached the All Blacks to a 3-0 series win over the British and Irish Lions. They also won the 2005 Tri-Nations, losing only one match that year. Later in 2005, they achieved a Grand Slam, beating all four Home Nations (England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales).
The All Blacks were named the 2005 IRB International Team of the Year. Henry was named IRB International Coach of the Year, and first five-eighth Dan Carter was named Player of the Year.
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In 2006, the All Blacks won the 2006 Tri-Nations again. They also won all their end-of-year matches in England, France, and Wales. Henry won the IRB Coach of the Year award again in 2006. The All Blacks were once more named Team of the Year, and captain Richie McCaw was Player of the Year.
Henry used a "rotation policy," which meant he often changed the starting players. This helped many players get experience and created strong competition for spots in the team.
Henry's coaching future was uncertain after New Zealand lost to France 20-18 in the quarter-finals of the 2007 Rugby World Cup. This was the All Blacks' worst performance in a World Cup up to that point. Some people criticised his tactical decisions during the game. Despite the loss, Henry was praised for his good sportsmanship.
After much discussion, Henry's contract as All Blacks coach was extended for another two years on 7 December 2007. This was a big decision because it was the first time an All Blacks coach was reappointed after a World Cup defeat. He announced that Richie McCaw would continue as captain.
In July 2009, Henry's contract was extended again until the end of 2011. This meant he would coach the All Blacks through the 2011 Rugby World Cup, which was held in New Zealand. The All Blacks went on to win the final against France with a score of 8-7.
At the IRB Awards in 2011, Henry and his team received more honours. The All Blacks were named IRB International Team of the Year, and Graham Henry won IRB International Coach of the Year for the fifth time.
On 1 November 2011, Henry announced he would step down as coach. He finished his All Blacks career with an amazing record: 88 wins in 103 Tests, a winning percentage of 85.4 percent. In February 2012, he took a part-time job with the New Zealand Rugby Union. He became a mentor for Super Rugby and ITM Cup coaches. In April 2012, he also worked for a year with the Argentina Rugby Union, mentoring coaches and assisting the national team.
Personal Life
Graham Henry met his wife, Raewyn, at university. Raewyn has also coached top sports teams, including the Auckland and Welsh netball teams. They live on Waiheke Island and have three children.
In the 2012 New Year Honours, Graham Henry was made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (KNZM) for his great contributions to rugby. This means he is now called Sir Graham Henry.
In 2020, he coached a team of former All Blacks for a TV show called Match Fit. He later shared that he faced challenges after coaching the Lions in 2001. He found ways to cope, which also helped him after the 2007 World Cup loss. He returned to coach in season 2 of the show in 2021/22.
See also
In Spanish: Graham Henry para niños
