The All Blacks Coach Who Hit the Wall: Depression, Burnout, and Winning Two World Cups

Sir Graham Henry is one of the most successful and respected coaches in New Zealand sporting history. He coached the All Blacks from 2004 to 2011, finishing with 88 wins from 103 test matches. This podcast first came out in 2023 – I’m re-releasing it because at the age of 80, 15 years after he retired as coach, Sir Graham Henry is back with the All Blacks as the team selector. Some of the ground we cover in this conversation includes: His 56-year marriage to Raewyn and why she first thought he was “a bit of a prick” The great Auckland rugby dynasty of the 1990s where he coached Jonah Lomu, Michael Jones, Sean Fitzpatrick, Carlos Spencer and others Being told by NZ rugby he would be banned for life from coaching in New Zealand again if he went to Wales. Then going anyway. The loneliness and pressure of coaching the Lions. Why suffering burnout and depression changed his whole coaching philosophy Reflections on the 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cups and much more. I loved this episode when it first came out, and I still love it now. Ted is a true icon of NZ Rugby. *** This episode has been brought to you by the legends at Odoo. If you run a business, you’ll know how quickly the tools can stack up: invoicing, accounting, sales, inventory, projects, your website. Odoo brings it all together. It’s an all-in-one business management platform with over 45 apps built to work seamlessly together, helping you manage your entire operation from one place. Try Odoo free for 15 days with no credit card required at https://www.odoo.com/r/Nl5z Odoo. All your business, on one platform. ** 0:00 - Introduction 1:26 - Welcome and Life Updates 3:21 - Coaching Statistics and Career Overview 5:30 - Early Life and Education 7:26 - Life with Raewyn Cochran 11:33 - Career Beginnings and John Graham's Influence 13:00 - Making Life Decisions and Moves 17:50 - The 10,000 Hour Theory and Coaching Philosophy 20:10 - Coaching the All Blacks and Auckland Rugby 28:19 - The Move to Wales and the "Henry Clause" 32:04 - Resigning and Heading to Wales 37:50 - Turning Around Welsh Rugby 43:08 - Coaching the British and Irish Lions 46:21 - Burnout, Depression, and Resignation 51:46 - Road to Recovery and Coaching in Japan 54:48 - Lessons Learned: Involving Others 58:49 - Getting the All Blacks Job in 2004 1:04:14 - South Africa 2004 and Cultural Shifts 1:07:42 - Reflecting on the 2007 World Cup Heartbreak 1:13:23 - The 2011 Rugby World Cup Challenges 1:16:58 - Redemption and the 2011 Final 1:18:04 - Finding Peace and Life Reflections 1:21:28 - Marriage and Partnership with Raewyn 1:22:46 - Conclusion and Final Thanks