Hansen vows to leave Welsh in better shape

STEVE HANSEN believes he will leave Welsh rugby in better shape than he came to it 18 months ago, but insisted the hard work must continue to make them a force to be reckoned with again.

Hansen took charge of Wales when fellow New Zealander Graham Henry resigned halfway through the 2002 Six Nations campaign. However, Hansen always maintained he would return home to be with his family when the current deal expired next April.

And yesterday the 44-year-old, who has two teenage daughters living in New Zealand, confirmed he intended to honour that commitment.