All Blacks coach Steve Hansen could become New Zealand Rugby’s director of rugby after the 2019 World Cup.

Former Ireland international Alan Quinlan claimed on the Off The Ball AM radio show that he had spoken to former All Blacks-turned-commentators Jeff Wilson and Justin Marshall, who had inside knowledge of Hansen’s coaching future.

Quinlan suggested Hansen could be set to move into a proposed director of rugby position with NZ Rugby, should he step down from his head coaching position with the All Blacks after the World Cup in Japan.

Quinlan said the expectation was that All Blacks assistant Ian Foster will replace Hansen as head coach.

‘The thing that happened when Graham Henry left, was that Hansen stepped up. So, there’s not an awful lot of change or structure to the group.

‘There’s talk that a similar scenario is happening with Ian Foster and he’ll step up and take the head coach role – with Hansen moving up into that director of rugby role.’

Hansen is expected to make an announcement about his future on 17 December in Christchurch.

Photo: Dan Peled/EPA