New Zealand Rugby boss Steve Tew says he hasn't spoken much with All Blacks coach Steve Hansen about his decision at the end of the year, but he appreciates the similar storyline.
Tew announced this morning he will leave his job as CEO at NZR at the end of the year, seeing it as the right time to move on after a World Cup cycle.
It also happens to be when Hansen is leaving his role as All Blacks coach, but Tew joked the pair weren't eyeing each other's spots.
"We're not swapping jobs," he said.
"It's not something that Steve and I have discussed prior to this."
Tew joined New Zealand Rugby in 2001, having previously worked as the CEO of the Canterbury Rugby Union and Crusaders Super Rugby Franchise.
While working with Canterbury and the Crusaders from 1996 to 2001, Tew worked closely alongside Hansen, who was the head coach of Canterbury during that time and the assistant coach of the Super Rugby side from 1999 to 2001.
When Tew moved on from the region, so did Hansen - taking up coaching Wales from 2002 to 2004.
But Hansen soon came home and became the assistant coach of the All Blacks in 2004 before taking over the head coach role in 2012.
Tew, meanwhile, took over as CEO shortly after the failed 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign and has worked with Hansen ever since.
"We both see some nice symmetry," Tew said on his and Hansen's careers within New Zealand rugby.
"We started together and we'll finish together."
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