All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has announced that Sir Graham Henry is returning to the fold as a selector. 

Henry coached the All Blacks between 2004 and 2011, overseeing their first Rugby World Cup triumph in 24 years at the 2011 tournament in New Zealand. 

The 79-year-old will bring plenty of pedigree to the role, having been one of the most successful rugby coaches of all time, leading the All Blacks to 88 wins in 103 tests for a winning percentage of 85%. 

Since leaving the All Blacks, Henry has worked in various roles including as an assistant for Argentina and a consultant for Irish club Leinster. 

Rennie said he was excited to have Henry as a selector and believes he will be a good fit for the team. 

“I’ve had a number of chats with him even prior to applying for the job and just to get our head around the legacy and all the work he did around leadership, what he found, what he learned in his time as the All Black coach,” Rennie said. 

“He talked about the impact that Sir Brian Lochore had when he was coaching the All Blacks as a selector. 

“He watches a lot of rugby, he’s got pretty strong opinions on players and so on. The conversations we’ve had have been brilliant.” 

Rennie said he plans to catch up with Henry on Wednesday, and he already has a shortlist of 60 players he’s keen to discuss. 

“He’s an avid watcher of the game and that’s important for us,” Rennie said. 

“We’re hoping that with his eye, he may see something a little bit different to us, which will help get the right people in the squad.” 

Dave Rennie has appointed Sir Graham Henry as an All Blacks selector. NZ Herald photo by Michael Craig. 

Rennie was named as the new All Blacks coach in March, replacing Scott Robertson. 

Rennie has also overhauled the assistant coaching line up with only Jason Ryan surviving the axe from the Robertson regime. 

Neil Barnes will serve as Rennie’s right-hand man, with Tana Umaga (defence), Mike Blair (attack) and Ryan (forwards) also part of the coaching staff. 

Rennie was named as the new All Blacks coach in March, replacing Scott Robertson. 

The first All Blacks test of the Rennie era takes place on July 4 against France in Christchurch. 

More to come 

Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.