Steve Hansen had only been the assistant coach of Wales for a month when, in February 2002, he was thrust into the spotlight following the sudden resignation of his fellow New Zealander Graham Henry in the midst of the Six Nations Championship.
The 43 year old, who lost his first Test in charge a week later against France, has not enjoyed the easiest of reigns with Welsh rugby going through a difficult phase and the national team collecting the Six Nations wooden spoon earlier this year.
Hansen took his first tentative steps as a coach with the High School Old Boys club in New Zealand and in 1996, following a spell with French outfit La Rochelle, joined the club where he had spent 15 years as a player - Canterbury.
The former centre coached Canterbury to the National Provincial Championship (NPC) title in 1997 and 2001, while linking up with the Canterbury Crusaders and helping them win the Super 12 title in 1999 and 2000.
Hansen, a former police officer who is expected to return home when his contract expires at the end of the 2004 Six Nations, also coached the New Zealand A team on their tour of Europe in 2000.