Who was the head coach of the All Blacks when they won the 2011 Rugby World Cup?
Answer
Graham Henry
Answer
Graham Henry
Graham Henry was the head coach of the All Blacks when New Zealand won the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Playing at home, New Zealand defeated France 8–7 in the final at Auckland's Eden Park.
Henry had been appointed New Zealand head coach in 2004 and remained in charge through the 2011 tournament. His coaching staff included Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen, which explains why those names sometimes appear as alternative answers. Smith was an assistant coach, while Hansen served as another member of the coaching group; neither was the head coach.
The victory was especially significant because New Zealand had suffered a shock quarter-final exit at the 2007 World Cup. Henry was reappointed afterward despite criticism, then guided the All Blacks through a successful four-year cycle that included strong Tri-Nations results and the 2011 title.
The final itself was famously tense. New Zealand led 5–0 at half-time, Stephen Donald added a second-half penalty, and France's late pressure produced only one converted try. Henry stepped down after the tournament.
Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026