Graham Henry has insisted the decision by the New Zealand Rugby Union to retain him as All Black coach following the team's World Cup flop last year has been proved right by their results in 2008.
Fans in New Zealand rarely take kindly to coaches who fail to deliver the World Cup even though the All Blacks have won the trophy just once, as hosts, in the inaugural tournament in 1987.
So it was widely believed that Henry, as well as assistants Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen, would be axed after New Zealand's quarter-final loss to France at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium in October last year.
But NZRU chiefs decided against sacking the trio and appointing successful Canterbury Crusaders coach Robbie Deans, subsequently given the Australia job.
Fears persist in his homeland that Deans will guide the Wallabies to glory when New Zealand stages the next World Cup in 2011.
But Henry said New Zealand's record this year of 12 wins from 14 games, including a Tri-Nations title, and the prospect of a northern hemisphere grand slam to come if they beat England at Twickenham this Saturday, meant officials had been right to resist calls for change.
'What we've achieved since the World Cup is satisfying. It's also good for the coaching team,' said Henry, whose team haven't conceded a try while beating Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
'It's good for the people who appointed the three people sitting here,' the former Wales coach added.
'Robbie Deans is a very good rugby coach as everyone knows, and it was a difficult decision.
'They (the NZRU) stuck by us. They'll be feeling comfortable about that decision now. We as coaches are feeling more comfortable now too. We've learnt things from the last World Cup.'
