John Hart (rugby coach)
| Full name | John Bernard Hart | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 1946 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position(s) | Coach | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Amateur team(s) | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| Provincial / State sides | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| Teams coached | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| 1982-1985 1996-1999 |
Auckland New Zealand
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John Bernard Hart ONZM (born 1946) is a former New Zealand rugby union personality who coached and managed both the All Blacks and the Auckland rugby union team, and played rugby for Waitemata and Auckland.
Hart was born in Auckland to father Joe, who worked for the bicycle importing company W.H. Worrall and Company, and mother Joan. He was the second of four children; he had an older brother, Graeme, a younger sister Loraine and a younger brother, Ian.
Hart was educated at Mount Roskill Grammar School, where he was best all-round sportsman, head of his house and deputy prefect in his final year. He then enrolled in a Bachelor of Commerce at University of Auckland in hope of becoming an accountant, but his attention was more focused towards leisure than his studies. Hart no longer qualified for a bursary after failing more subjects in his second year, forcing him to complete his degree part-time.
He was later appointed Group Employee Relations Director for Fletcher Challenge, then New Zealand's largest company.
John Hart began his first class coaching career for Auckland in 1982. He coached Auckland to the National Provincial Championship (NPC) title in 1982, 1984 and 1985, and it was during his tenure that, in 1985, Auckland won the Ranfurly Shield from Canterbury and began the series of 61 successful defences that remains a record in shield history.
Hart, together with Alex Wyllie, was an assistant coach under Brian Lochore when the All Blacks won the first Rugby World Cup in 1987. In 1988, Lochore retired from coaching and Wyllie was appointed to succeed him, an appointment that upset many, especially Auckland, fans. Hart then refused to be part of the selection panel, but was eventually appointed co-coach with Wyllie for the 1991 Rugby World Cup. In hindsight, this was widely regarded to be a mistake: the personality clash between the two coaches was reflected in a split within the squad into Auckland and Canterbury factions.
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