[1] Hart was educated at Mount Roskill Grammar School,[2] where he was best all-round sportsman, head of his house and deputy prefect in his final year.
Hart, together with Alex Wyllie, was an assistant coach under Brian Lochore when the All Blacks won the first Rugby World Cup in 1987.
In hindsight, this was widely regarded to be a mistake: the personality clash between the two coaches was reflected in a split within the squad into Auckland and Canterbury factions.
During Hart's tenure as head coach, the All Blacks achieved their first ever series win in South Africa, in 1996, and won the Tri-Nations three times, in 1996/97 and 1999.
He also served on the boards of a number of other companies, provides consultancy services in the fields of human resources and leadership, and is an active speaker on the lecture circuit.