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Graham Henry - Source: Photosport -
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Graham Henry has confirmed that he wants another shot at winning the World Cup.
The All Black coach said on Wednesday that he wants to stick around beyond the length of his contract, which expires at the end of this year.
"It's really whether other people want me, whether the New Zealand Rugby Football Union want me to stay on," Henry said.
Henry was reappointed after the 2007 World Cup in a cloud of controversy. His side was knocked out at the quarter-final stage by France but he managed to retain his job despite public pressure to appoint the now Australian coach Robbie Deans.
The All Black coach ended up having a successful 2008 - only dropping two Test matches on his way to winning the Tri Nations, retaining the Bledisole Cup and completing a Gland Slam - but a chance of redemption at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand is clearly his number one desire.
"I'd be keen to continue right through to the rugby World Cup," he said.
Of more immediate concern though is the selection of his initial 26-man squad for the June series against Italy and France.
Henry said he is generally happy at the player depth in most positions but the injury to Daniel Carter has created some concerns.
"Look you take the incumbents out (Stephen Donald and Ma'a Nonu) and there is not a lot of depth there (at ten and 12) and the young guys that are coming through are quite a few years away," he said.
The return of Luke McAllister and the form of Isaia Toeava should ease his concerns.
The first All Black squad for 2009 will be named in late May.
Click here to watch the full interview with Graham Henry
(13.57)
Henry also says he is hoping for an increase in
refereeing standards in the Super 14.
Henry says he has been unimpressed with the control of the
breakdown and at scrum time, and it is no coincidence that the best
games are controlled by the best referees with too many games
becoming a lottery.
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