With the All Blacks heading into the Ellis Park Test, Hansen has been speaking about what Henry actually brings to Rennie's setup beyond the obvious selector tag. His read: it's less about pick A over B and more about the accumulated wisdom of someone who's coached 100-plus Tests sitting alongside a coach still finding his feet at this level. The sharper insight in this piece, though, comes from Ewen McKenzie — he argues Henry's most critical work this week will be managing the non-23, keeping disappointed players engaged and ready, working alongside Gilbert Enoka. Hansen backs that up strongly, making the case that how a squad handles selection snubs — allowing short-term disappointment but refusing to let it fester — is often what separates functional touring squads from fractured ones. With Lions fixtures still to come and a full tour in motion, keeping the fringe players invested isn't a soft concern; it's a tactical necessity.
Graham Henry's behind-the-scenes role could be just as important as his selection input
Hansen and McKenzie break down how Henry is contributing beyond selection — his real value may be in managing the non-23's disappointment and keeping the full squad tour-ready ahead of the Ellis Park Test.
- New Zealand
- John Plumtree
- Emirates Lions
The All Blacks' 'slow poison' is now their trick — and the Boks need an antidote
Across all five tour matches, New Zealand have shown a consistent ability to break South African teams with late, high-intensity finishes — a trait historically associated with the Boks themselves. De Koning argues that if the Springboks lose focus again in Cape Town, the consequences will be identical to Ellis Park.
Jake White: Henry's All Blacks return is a 'masterстroke' — and he's no ordinary selector
White calls Henry's return a masterstroke — not because of his selector credentials, but because of the psychological and cultural weight he brings to a rebuilding All Blacks camp. White also makes a pointed broader argument about the game's failure to learn from history, using his own 2007 World Cup experience as a case study.
Keo & Zels: Stubborn All Blacks policy make Boks smile
The boys love that New Zealand keep picking their second-best, long may it continue.
TMOs are killing the game — and school rugby proves it
A sharp column using the disallowed Mahashe try as the centrepiece of a broader argument that TMOs have abandoned their 'clear and obvious' brief — applied forensic scrutiny to one try while waving through questionable scores elsewhere in the same game. Also covers New Zealand's overseas eligibility self-sabotage and the URC final-round permutations.
TMO overreach is killing the game — and the Lions paid the price
The Mahashe disallowed try becomes a flashpoint for a wider argument that TMOs have abandoned the 'clear and obvious' mandate in favour of forensic overreach — with the Lions and the spectacle of the game paying the price. The column also takes aim at the All Blacks' overseas-player policy and previews the URC playoff picture.