Ewen McKenzie was All Blacks coach candidate

Queensland Reds coach Ewen McKenzie was a candidate to coach the All Blacks if they had failed to win the World Cup according to a newspaper report.

The Sydney Morning Herald said former Wallabies prop McKenzie was earmarked by the New Zealand Rugby Union as Graham Henry's successor had New Zealand not beaten France in the final last month.

The report said the NZRU would have overlooked Henry's assistant Steve Hansen if the All Blacks had stumbled and could well have appointed the first-ever non-New Zealander to the role. Now Hansen is considered a cast-iron certainty to be promoted to All Blacks coach.

McKenzie, who guided the Reds to last year's Super Rugby title, has now been touted as a possible addition to Robbie Deans' Wallabies coaching staff next year.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/a...oach-candidate