Rating the coaches

Since the 2007 World Cup nine of the top 10 countries have changed coaches, with New Zealand’s Graham Henry the only leading mentor to retain his job. rugby365.com has decided to take a look at how all these new coaches have progressed.

With most of the ‘new’ coaches having been in the job for at least a year – Scotland mentor Andy Robinson is the exception – there is enough evidence to judge their progress.

Henry, who has an overall winning record of 84 percent (65 wins from 77 Tests) since he took over as All Black coach in 2004, has seen his record reduced to a slightly less impressive 79 percent since the 2007 World Cup.

The man at the top of the coaching totem pole is Ireland boss Declan Kidney, who took over from Eddie O’Sullivan (a 64 percent coach) in November 2008. Kidney, with an overall record of 85 percent, is the only coach to have been unbeaten in 2009 – nine wins and a draw from 10 starts.

Kidney, apart from his unbeaten run in 2009, also has a 100 percent win record away from home – which also sets him apart from the rest.

Henry still comes in at an impressive second place, but his 2009 record is somewhat tainted by the fact that his New Zealand team was whitewashed by the Springboks. Henry has a 79 percent record for the post-World Cup period – it was 87 percent in 2008, but he slumped to just 71 percent in 2009.

The top three on our coaching rankings is completed by B&I Lions slayer Peter de Villiers, with the latest Springbok coach – who took over from Jake White, a 66 percent coach, in June 2008 – producing a 68 percent winning margin.

De Villiers was at 69 percent in his first year, but ‘slumped’ to just 67 percent this past year. A series victory over the B&I Lions, to go along with a comprehensive Tri-Nations triumph, was soured somewhat by the one-from-three year-end tour.

So here goes, the top 10 countries’ coaches since the 2007 World Cup!

1. Declan Kidney (Ireland):
Played 13: 11 wins (84.6 percent); six home wins (75.0 percent) and five away wins (100.0 percent); one defeat (7.7 percent).
2008: Played three – two wins (66.7 percent) and one defeat (33.3 percent).
2009: Played 10 – nine wins (90.0 percent) and one draw (10.0 percent).

2. Graham Henry (New Zealand):
Played 29: 23 wins (79.3 percent); 10 home wins (76.9 percent), 11 away wins (78.6 percent) and six defeats (20.7 percent).
2008: Played 15 – 13 wins (86.7 percent) and two defeats (13.3 percent).
2009: Played 14 – 10 wins (71.4 percent) and four defeats (28.6 percent).

3. Peter de Villiers (South Africa):
Played 25: 17 wins (68.0 percent); 10 home wins (76.9 percent), seven away wins (58.3 percent) and eight defeats (32.0 percent).
2008: Played 13 – nine wins (69.2 percent) and four defeats (30.8 percent).
2009: Played 12 – eight wins (66.7 percent) and four defeats (33.3 percent).

4. Warren Gatland (Wales):
Played 22: 14 wins (63.6 percent); eight home wins (61.5 percent), six away wins (66.7 percent), eight defeats (36.4 percent).
2008: Played 11 – seven wins (63.6 percent) and four defeats (36.4 percent).
2009: Played 11 – seven wins (63.6 percent) and four defeats (36.4 percent).

5. Robbie Deans (Australia):
Played 28: 15 wins (53.6 percent); nine home wins (75.0 percent), six away wins (42.9 percent), 12 defeats (42.9 percent) and one draw (3.6 percent).
2008: Played 14 – nine wins (64.3 percent) and five defeats (35.7 percent).
2009: Played 14 – six wins (42.9 percent), seven defeats (50.0 percent) and one draw (7.1 percent).

6. Marc Lievremont (France):
Played 21: 11 wins (52.4 percent); eight home wins (72.7 percent), three away wins (30.0 percent), 10 defeats (47.6 percent).
2008: Played 10 – five wins (50.0 percent) and five defeats (50.0 percent).
2009: Played 11 – six wins (54.5 percent) and five defeats (45.5 percent).

7. Martin Johnson (England):
Played 14: Six wins (42.9 percent); six home wins (54.5 percent), no away wins (0 percent), eight defeats (57.1 percent).
2008: Played 4 – one win (25.0 percent) and three defeats (75.0 percent).
2009: Played 10 – five wins (50.0 percent) and five defeats (50.0 percent).

8. Santiago Phelan (Argentina):
Played 12: four wins (33.3 percent); two home wins (50.0 percent), two away wins (25.0 percent), eight defeats (66.7 percent).
2008: Played 7 – two wins (28.6 percent) and five defeats (71.4 percent).
2009: Played 5 – two wins (40.0 percent) and three defeats (60.0 percent).

9. Andy Robinson (Scotland):
Played 3: two wins (66.7 percent – all home wins) and one defeat (33.3 percent).
* Robinson only took over from Frank Hadden for the November Tests.

10. Nick Mallett (Italy):
Played 21: three wins (14.3 percent); two home wins (18.2 percent), one away win (10.0 percent), 18 defeats (85.7 percent).
2008: Played 10 – two wins (20.0 percent) and eight defeats (80.0 percent).
2009: Played 11 – one win (9.1 percent) and 10 defeats (90.9 percent).

All statistic courtesy of rugby365‘s stats partner, pick & go!