Is Hansen the right choice?

Steve Hansen has been confirmed as the Wales coach until the end of the 2003/04 season.

But is he the right man to revive Welsh fortunes?

Steve Hansen stepped into the breach last February following Graham Henry's resignation as Wales coach.

Having been employed as forwards coach by his New Zealand compatriot, Hansen found himself in charge of the whole package.

In his first match in charge, Wales came close to beating Grand Slam chasers France, then Wales restored some pride with a win against Italy, followed by a heavy defeat at Twickenham against England.

Has Hansen shown enough to suggest he has the skills to take Wales to the 2003 World Cup as more than also-rans? Or should the Welsh Rugby Union have appointed a home-grown coach?

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Steve Hansen has done a very good job so far and deserves his chance. However, we should look to the future and start preparing a Welsh born coach who understands the strengths of Welsh rugby to take over from Hansen.

Henry seems to rate him, but we have not seen anything from him in Wales yet

John Davies, Wales

Wales are not going to become a great rugby nation again by copying other nations. We have our own unique style of play based around flair and instinct and a set of forwards who know how to handle themselves. Mike Ruddock has to be my choice. He has the charisma and respect a coach needs and is a forward thinking individual. Let's start to look ahead and get that conveyor belt moving again.
Karl Bankhead, Australia

Steve Hansen may or may not be the right man, but the decision to appoint him was wholly based on the WRU not rocking the boat at this sensitive time. Henry seems to rate him, but we have not seen anything from him in Wales yet.

I pity anyone who tries to pick up the pieces and turn Wales into a decent team again. My belief is that whoever the coach is will not transform this shambles short of a decade away, and several coaches away from this, at best!
John Davies, Wales

It is too early to say if he is the right choice or not, but he has made a bad start on Saturday. For example, Charvis was the wrong man to be captain; and an even bigger mistake was his taking off Howley in the second half. His experience would have been invaluable during the last few vital minutes.
Paul James, UK

Steve appears to have the confidence of his players, it's about time the Welsh public did the same.
H Sellick, Scotland

Yes, Hansen is the man for the next few years

Richard, Wales

Hansen is a good choice as coach but will he be restricted by the current WRU setup. It is evident that the whole structure of Welsh rugby needs addressing. Take a leaf out of the southern hemisphere book!
Carl Lougherb, New Zealand

Yes, Hansen is the man for the next few years. But he has to work under the system we say, not necessarily under the system he wants. The coach can only do so much. As a coach he is as good as anyone. And he is an outsider - vital until we get the WRU sorted and a new provincial structure sorted.
Richard, Wales

I'm with the chap who said JD as coach! But who coaches / manages Wales while the current set-up in Welsh rugby is in place, is either a very brave man or a total fool! For the sake of the game, the WRU need to quit!
Jason, Wales

Steve Hansen is the right man, but he needs to impress upon the WRU and the players that playing Welsh and Scottish sides week in week out will not help the national team.

I for one would be happy if Hansen picked all his sides from players playing in England. At least they would be world-class players. There is a lot of jingoism about Welsh players playing in Wales, but I think that the only way that the players will improve will be playing against English opposition every season.
Matt, Wales

Rugby culture in Wales prioritises blind effort over skill and brains

Robin Llewellyn, Wales

I believe Hansen is the man to succeed Henry. He has the attitude and attributes that the team needs. I just hope that the WRU stick by him and give him time to be able to make something out of the side. The problem with Wales is that they change coaches too quickly and expect miracles within a short period. Wales need to reunite, be patient and give support or it will be the same outcome!
Luke, Wales

Steve Hansen has no new ideas, and talks about Wales being at the bottom of yet another long learning curve. His appointment is symptomatic of a rugby culture in Wales that prioritises blind effort over skill and brains.

"Our best wasn't good enough" said Charvis of the Scotland game; Wales didn't win their own line-outs against one of the weakest teams in the world, and that was their best?

Throughout the game in Wales, people talk of effort, pain, commitment, but never about on-the-pitch brains, tactics, and skill. The wealth of players is fine, it's the structure that needs to start putting that together, and stop apeing Marine Corps jargon.
Robin Llewellyn, Wales

GH was the man who ignored the WRU and put the wheels of change in motion. Hansen is the right man to continue the trend and help get the system right with his no-nonsense Kiwi approach. The national team must come first. Gareth Jenkins to take over as coach once the system is right, otherwise the old parochialism will resurface.
PMG, Scotland (Welsh ex-pat)

We've given up. We're beaten. The WRU don't care as long as they remain in control, the players are tired, the press are cynical and the fans frustrated. Does it really matter who coaches Wales...the game is barely alive. Help!
Marc, Cardiff, UK

Oh well, here's looking back to the past for success stories instead of the future

Jason, Wales

Doesn't it all sound familiar? A well respected Kiwi coach with the grit to drop players if he thinks they're not pulling their weight. Respected by the players, etc. Steve Hansen doesn't have a say in the structure of the game written into his contract like Mr Henry. So how is supposed to succeed where Graham Henry failed?

The top six flight looked like a guiding light until it was extinguished on Saturday afternoon. Oh well, here's looking back to the past for success stories instead of the future. Doesn't that just typify the WRU old school for you?
Jason, Wales

Graham Henry's biggest problem was that he was being asked to do so much more than just coach the national team. Why can't we just let Steve Hansen concentrate on preparing the first XV for their matches and get someone who knows the Welsh scene to act as a figurehead and liaison to the clubs, media and WRU?

The extent of the overlap between politics and playing matters in Welsh rugby is just absurd and must be addressed immediately before we get to another World Cup and find that the coach has spent so much of his time banging his head against the twin brick walls of parochialism and amateurism that he's been unable to prepare a team that can do a decent job on the pitch.
Jon Lloyd, Wales

Best of luck to Steve Hansen, who seems to be a good coach and commands the players' respect. But the poor guy will be fighting a losing battle as long as the professional game in Wales is run by amateurs who're more concerned with their free trips to Paris and Rome than the long-term interests of the national team. Hopefully yesterday's WRU meeting will prove to be the first step towards replacing these relics with a professional executive.
Alex Evans, Wales

By funding the schools the WRU would be ensuring the foundations of Welsh rugby

Roy Richards, UK

The Welsh league should be merged with the English league, the same as in football. Hopefully this would produce more high quality competition amongst players (though admittedly this hasn't improved Welsh football). I'm sure Hansen will do the best with what he's got, but to be honest all he's got are a bunch of physically lacking and tactically inept second-raters.
Tom, UK

The WRU should directly fund the schools who would be prepared to put rugby back into the school curriculum, and if necessary, provide the coaching staff in each school. You have to start children in sport at a fairly early age and by funding the schools the WRU would be ensuring the foundations of Welsh rugby would return to the schools that originally spawned the talented teams of previous generations.
Roy Richards, UK

Lyn Jones of Neath is used to working with nothing and making something good out of it. I am a Llanelli supporter, but I think it is amazing how Neath get their act together every time their players go to other clubs for more money.

Hansen seems like a good coach, and would do a good job, but what we need is better leadership ie, the WRU run by businessmen, and the rugby run by coaches not tribalistic committee men.

The WRU were very clever in giving Wales one of the best coaches around, now they can hold their hands up and say "we gave you the best, we threw enough money at it and we still got nowhere". Keep Welsh rugby Welsh, and change from within that won't cost any thing.
Mike Pugh, Ontario Canada

There should be only two professional teams at the most in Wales

David Hammond, NZer in UK

Does it matter who is nominally in charge. Mr Hansen may be likened to a bus driver with a load of unruly schoolchildren (aka the WRU, leading clubs and their chairmen). Until the education system is revamped and the teachers regain a semblance of control can the driver make a real difference?
Mark Mortimer-Davies, UAE via Wales

It does not matter who the Welsh appoint as coach, they will continue to under-perform. Until the structure in Wales is changed they will achieve nothing. In New Zealand there are only five fully professional rugby teams out of a base of 130,000 players, so how Wales is able to justify the number of professional players it has with a base of 20,000 players is beyond me!

Essentially there should be only two professional teams at the most in Wales. These should be regionally based teams, chosen from the clubs who would essentially be semi-professional at best or more likely amateur. The players who did not get a contract would have to work, like most NZ provincial player who do not gain a Super 12 contract. Professional contracts in NZ have to be earned, and are given only to the elite.

This would ease the financial burden on clubs and the centrally funded contracts would give the Welsh union more control over its players. This also allows clubs to maintain their identity while enabling players to compete for treasured contracts.
David Hammond, NZer in UK

No coach at this time could do anything for the Welsh team. There is a lack of talent, heart and pride in Welsh rugby that I cannot understand. I wish Steve Hansen the best of luck, but he is fighting a losing battle with little or no ammunition.
Dominic Williams, UK

I hope we do something or the Welsh dragon may become extinct

Dave, Australia

Wales are going to continue to be 'also-rans' for some years to come. Their players are not of the required standard, yesterday's match versus Scotland proved that. It makes no difference who the coach is if the clubs cannot provide players with the necessary ability.
David McConnell, England

As a Welshman abroad, have Wales become a rugby-playing nation too stubborn to change -, if the best coaches in the world can't help us why don't we change? Is it because we are expecting to fail? I hope we do something or the Welsh dragon may become extinct.
Dave, Australia

Gareth Jenkins of Llanelli would be my choice. Llanelli are in yet another European semi and doing well in the league. He is a successful club coach, he is passionate and most importantly he is WELSH!
James McCarthy, England

The WRU have made the right move by appointing Steve Hansen as the new Welsh coach. Let's hope that this is the first of many right moves.
Jon Wilcox, UK

Just what the WRU and the players wanted.
Terry Dixon, U.S.A.

I hear a lot of talk about not having the "proper structure." Has anyone made a suggestion as to what the proper structure should be and more importantly, how should it be implemented? By whom? And in what degrees? Aren't those the questions? Shouldn't you be looking for someone who has those answers?
Audrey, USA

The only candidate for the job

Archie Haslett, Wales

The appointment of Steve Hansen as national coach will give some stability to the team. However, the WRU now need to set up a national coaching structure to nurture homegrown talent to replace Steve when his contract ends.
Wyn Davies, England

Yes, Hansen is the man for the next few years. But he has to work under the system we say, not necessarily under the system he wants. The coach can only do so much. As a coach he is as good as anyone. And he is an outsider - vital until we get the WRU sorted and a new provincial structure sorted.
Richard, Wales

The only candidate for the job. The parochial set up in Wales means that anyone would have a hard time convincing everyone else he would be unbiased.
Archie Haslett, Wales

Hansen needs time to prove himself, and at least the WFU have given him that, but he will eventually have to fall on his dagger. He is a talented coach, but if he does not have the depth of quality players that other nations seem to be acquiring, then he will stand no chance.

A few more key retirements and Wales will have a squad not necessarily without talent, but without a wealth of experience. But then is it the players fault if they have not had the opportunity to develop with their clubs when there are so many foreign players in Wales?
Marcus Dowse, Wales

It must be akin to being appointed the Dubai skiing coach

Phil Wilde, Wales

None of the other contenders for the job filled me with much confidence. Good luck Steve.
Nick Webb, Wales

At last....the WRU have done something right. Give Hansen what he wants, when he wants it and above all, put in place the structure from which he will be able to build a new and more professional Welsh team.
Berwyn Thomas, Wales

You can't win top class games with unfit players, and the burden for this rests solely with the clubs and the players themselves. I feel sorry for anyone taking on the Welsh job - it must be akin to being appointed the Dubai skiing coach.
Phil Wilde, Wales

As a proud Welshman living abroad, it saddens me to see the disarray that Welsh rugby is in at the moment. The answer? Who knows. I just hope it comes quickly because my videos of the seventies are starting to wear out.
Tony Silverthorn, Switzerland

The best coaches in world couldn't get Wales to win. The structure of the game in Wales needs overhauling and that is not a job for the national coach, it is a job for the WRU.

He cannot turn things round until a proper structure exists for Welsh rugby

Anon, Wales

They say now that they have every confidence in him. But I guarantee that Wales will continue to lose because we haven't put the system in place to produce world-class rugby teams. Poor Steve Hansen, as good a coach as he may be, will be used as a scapegoat by the WRU when we do poorly in the next World Cup. I wish him well but his hands are tied.
Neil Bussey, Wales

Congratulations to Steve Hansen, he is the man for the job as he does not have any preferences on the Welsh players. He cannot turn things round until a proper structure exists for Welsh rugby.

It doesn't matter who the Welsh coach is at the moment, as long as the underlying structure is in the mess that it is. Good luck, he's going to need it.
Anon, Wales

I would love to see Jonathan Davies as Wales manager/coach
Ryan Harris, Wales

Wales needs stability in the game. With only 18 months until the World Cup, appointing a coach unfamiliar with the set up and players would not do the team or the new coach justice. Let's just hope we get some stability in the domestic scene!
JC, UK