Cast your memory back to November 15.

A few weeks ago, as families throughout the nation were tucking into their dinner, the New Zealand Rugby Union announced they had a job vacancy: head coach of the All Blacks.

Graham Henry, if he wanted to keep his job, would have to re-apply for it alongside anyone else interested. The nation was stunned, and almost immediately Steve Hansen was caught in the crossfire.

Would he cut his ties with Henry and go it alone? Did he want to become All Blacks' top dog?

As Hansen kept his head down, several credible rugby sources were convinced he would divorce himself from Henry and throw his name in the hat. He didn't and last week, as Henry was reappointed, Hansen was reinstated as his assistant.

Having watched the coaching drama unfold from afar in Christchurch, Hansen this week broke his silence. During a candid and at times blunt interview with the Sunday Star-Times he said the two months since the All Blacks lost at the world cup had felt like a "doom loop".

"As every day goes by [after the world cup loss] you start to get out of that doom loop and start to go forward again," he said.

"The important thing was not to lose self-belief, get back on the horse and kick it in the guts.

"I think certain sections of the media tried to force their opinions on the public and they were generally rejected. The support we have had has been amazing."

That's typical Hansen: unrepentant, bullish, drinking from, as he likes to say, "the glass half full" and preoccupied with the future not the past.

That now includes the prospect of one day becoming All Blacks head coach himself, an ambition most suspect he possesses but one he's rarely been willing to admit to.

"One day I would like to do it. But I have always said I would never sell my soul to do the job. Here's a guy [Henry] I have worked with for the past four years and loyalty is a very important thing to me. I thought it was the right thing to do and still do and I am happy with my decision and I am really pleased to be working with him again."

Henry, Hansen and Wayne Smith have signed to coach for two years. Assuming things run smoothly, Henry should remain head coach until 2011 and it's doubtful even Hansen would have the stomach to continue his association with the team beyond 2011 despite saying "coaching the All Blacks is the best job in the world".

His best chance of becoming head coach may rest on Henry stepping aside in 2009. Hansen doesn't crystal-ball gaze and wouldn't say when he thought would be the best time for Henry to leave.

"I might do the next two years and say 'I have had enough'," he said.

"It's not something I am consciously thinking of. If it happens one day it would be great, if that's what I want to do. At the moment I am happy doing what I am doing, coaching the All Blacks. It doesn't get any better than that."

Hansen met Henry in Auckland on Friday, shortly before this interview.

In the coming months, taking a holiday is high on the agenda for both men.

Hansen is going to great lengths to do "nothing" over the summer while weaving in time with family, his fishing rod and the odd race meeting. But rugby will never be far from his mind.

"We have something like 16 test matches next year. Coming up with ways of dealing with that and making sure the All Blacks keep winning tests and series over the next two years is stimulating.

"That's what stops you going stale and makes the job enjoyable."

During this interview it's obvious he doesn't want to make any reference to the next world cup. But his valiant effort fails when discussing exactly what went wrong in Cardiff. He believes the All Blacks need to change the way they play at future tournaments; possibly adopt a more conservative style of play.

"Our great strength running and playing open rugby may not be the answer," he said.

"There might be a simple way of doing it. We might need to practice that over a series of games. But the bloke who is in charge then will have to worry about that, won't he?"

Sunday Star-Times