Long-serving All Blacks Sevens coach Sir Gordon Tietjens deserved to go out on his own terms, claims former player Karl Te Nana.
Tietjens announced Tuesday he would be stepping down as coach after a prestigious 22-year career with the national team.
Te Nana, who won gold with Tietjens at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, was disgruntled with the treatment of his old coach, who he regarded as his best ever in his rugby career.
Tietjens and Te Nana with the World Series trophy in 2001 (Getty Images)
"I think Titch deserved better, he's done so much for the game of rugby, not just sevens," Te Nana said.
"I know when you speak about sevens the first name on everyone's mind and lips is Sir Gordon Tietjens because he's taken it to stratospheres and countries that 15-a-side won't.
"It's a disappointing way, just from me being an ex-player, to see such a great team fall from grace like this.
Te Nana believes New Zealand Rugby underestimated the competition at the Rio Olympic Games, where the Kiwis slumped to a fifth placed finish.
"I know we had a lot of injuries to our front line players and underneath Gordon didn't have the resources to choose from in the end. We had no players coming through.
"I mean he can't pick any of the train on Super Rugby guys, any of the Super Rugby guys during the series, the under-19s or under-20s, so where was he supposed to pick these guys from? High school?"
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