Former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry has criticised New Zealand Rugby for their selection process of the next head coach.

Henry was part of the panel which appointed Ian Foster as the new All Blacks head coach.

Foster had served as assistant coach to Steve Hansen for seven years and was selected ahead of Crusaders coach Scott Robertson.

Two other applicants to the job were Dave Rennie, who was appointed Wallabies coach, and Jamie Joseph, who decided to extend his tenure as Japan head coach.

In an interview with Radio Sport, Henry said that he feels there were too few applicants for the job.

‘We should’ve had more to be fair, more applications, and I think New Zealand Rugby’s learned from that,’ Henry said.

Foster’s appointment was particularly criticised as some felt that NZR needed to go with someone with fresh ideas, something Henry agrees with.

‘They [New Zealand Rugby] need to knock down the castle and build it again,’ Henry said. ‘Winning is everything, winning won’t occur unless they have the foundations right and new foundations because you can’t continue with what’s happening in the past. It gets mundane.

‘Losing [to England] at the World Cup will add to the edge and the desire to get better.  If you keep on winning you probably get a wee bit complacent and don’t make changes. Losing to England will add desire, add change.

‘I think the new team that Fozzie finishes up with has got to develop their own identity, their own purpose, their own culture.’

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