It's official: Sir Graham Henry

The New Zealand New Year's Honours list is out, and as expected Graham Henry has picked up a knighthood for services to rugby.

Henry joins Sir Brian Lochore and Sir Clive Woodward as knighted RWC-winning coaches (since the Aussies and Saffas don't do knighthoods, that makes 3 out of a possible 3).

None of the RWC winning All Blacks team picked up honours after Richie McCaw publically said he'd turned down a knighthood as he didn't think it appropriate to get one while still playing.

CEO of the RWC2011 organising body (and former NZ test cricketer and NZ Cricket CEO) Martin Snedden picked up a CNZM (CBE equivalent) for services to sports administration, while 60's AB Ian MacRae and Wellington stalwart Brian Coulter also picked up "Services to Rugby" gongs.

Sir Wilson and Sir Colin didnt have to coach to get a knighthood ....they just played.....

Congratulations to Graham Henry, he deserves it for all he has given to rugby throughout his long career and not just the small matter of winning the RWC...!

A bit of an anti-climax TED was always going to get one,wish Jock Hobbs for his many services was also honoured.

GH

congrats to gh, interesting with McCaw turning one down

Compare the Honours list,with that of England 2003,ONLY Graham Henry was honoured.Captain Tackles had one for the asking and rejected it,good on him he has a lot more to achieve.

Good on Ted. That´s a proud record he holds and all the nay-sayers and haters who said it should´ve been Deans re-appointed were proven wrong.

McCaw was right to turn his down while he´s still playing. But Sir Beaver should´ve got one for the flakiest but at the same time most beautiful service to goalkicking. The Donald Duck turns into a beautiful golden swan-song.

Congratulatioins to Graham Henry.

Seems that any one coach winnig a Rugby World Cup will get an offical knight hood.

Once again well done to Graham Henry.

majesticimperialman wrote:
Seems that any one coach winnig a Rugby World Cup will get an offical knight hood.

Do they do unofficial ones?

I know you can pay to become an unofficial lord or Laird of somewhere but I thought Knighthoods are different.

Yup he deserves it, he won the World Cup with New Zealand, and he achieved much more as Wales coach by beating South Africa and taking them on a 10 game winning streak!

Happy new year all.

In years to come McCaw will go down as possibly NZs greatest ever player. Though he has awards (3 IRB player of year, 6 nominations etc) that werent available to others he'll be right up there with the Meads tremains fitzy lomu and jones to name a few, if not on a new level of his own.

Well done Henry. Expected but if knighthoods are about serviced to the community, he couldnt really have done more for the rugby one.