"In all likelihood, Graham Henry is set to enjoy his last weekend with the title All Blacks rugby coach." NZPA's Daniel Gilhooly reports from New Zealand

Applications for the most pressured job in New Zealand sport close on Monday and it would be a surprise if Henry's name is in the hat.

In fact, the hat itself will hardly be brimming with candidates.

One name sure to be there is Robbie Deans, the successful Crusaders mentor who is strongly favoured to succeed Henry after the All Blacks' World Cup campaign ended in quarterfinal disaster.

Deans, formerly the All Blacks assistant to John Mitchell, made his desire clear last month, which is more than can be said for the incumbents.

Henry has been coy about his intentions, as have his assistants Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith.

The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) finally made the position contestable last week after the trio underwent a review which had the potential to result in their reappointment.

T heir record is enormously successful -- 42 wins from 48 tests -- but the failure of Henry's radical strategies to snare the World Cup and an unwillingness to accept he could have done things differently was why the NZRU board didn't ask him to sign on for more.

And it will almost certainly count against him again if he tries to reapply.

Henry will be aware of that and has conceivably spent recent weeks weighing up options elsewhere and also trying to smooth the political waters for Hansen -- the succession plan that was always on the cards if the All Blacks had prevailed in France.

Behind closed doors it is likely that Henry has taken the weight of failure on his shoulders and pointed to Hansen's productive work with the forward pack.

Hansen, who succeeded Henry as coach of Wales five years ago, may be reluctant to apply if he doesn't think he has the numbers to succeed.

However, the most likely scenario is that he and Deans will embark a two-horse race for the job come 5pm Monday.

That race is sure drag out close to Christmas and possibly beyond because of the complications surrounding the appointment.

If Deans were to win the nod it would have major ramifications for up to three New Zealand Super 14 franchises.

The NZRU would need to decree whether Deans can remain on as Crusaders coach for a ninth season or else ask that franchise to embark on a coach appointment exercise of their own.

They may also have to make the same call on Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper, who would be a strong candidate to assist Deans with the All Blacks as the pair were a successful combination at the Crusaders.

A Deans promotion would impact on the Blues as well.

Blues mentor David Nucifora is favoured to be chosen as the new Wallabies coach if the Australian Rugby Union's first-choice contender -- Deans -- is not available.