While Roy Keane has learned from two of the finest coaches British football has ever produced, in the form of Brian Clough and Sir Alex Ferguson, he has recently taken his managerial education to the other side of the world and a different sport.

A component of the Pro Licence course is an overseas study visit, and Keane, together with native Kiwi Ricki Herbert, visited New Zealand to observe the All-Blacks this summer - and the Sunderland boss says it was 'worth every minute'.

Speaking exclusively to TheFA.com, Keane said: "It was brilliant. That was just another part of the course, and I thought if you're going to do this course you might as well do it properly.

"Part of the requirement is to go and study a team, I had it in my mind when they asked me and I just fancied going to see the All-Blacks. Obviously it's a long way to go, but it was worth it and Ricky (Herbert) did it with me and it was absolutely fantastic.

"I was kind of lucky in a sense that I got a good break this summer, and I wasn't squeezing it in, so I went over with the mindset of studying but it was also kind of a treat. I saw it as a holiday as well, I was by myself for a week, and I met Ricky for a couple of days."

Keane says that the treatment he received from the All-Blacks staff and players could not have been better.

"The All-Blacks were absolutely brilliant with us, we watched the teamtalks, all the training sessions; and then obviously the real bonus was that they were playing Ireland," Keane explained.

"Obviously I told the All-Blacks when I met them that I wanted Ireland to win. It was brilliant, the manager, the coach Graham Henry, all the staff, and all the players as well. We had plenty of lunches with them, and they couldn't have been nicer to us.

"We weren't sure what input they would let us have, are we watching training? Will we meet the players? I got there on a Sunday evening, and on the Monday morning we got to the hotel at 9am and we were straight into a team meeting.

"All the players were in there and they were going through tactics, set-pieces and they named the team for the Saturday - and we thought 'this is really good'.

"I was really intrigued, and it helps of course that I like Rugby, and again if you're looking at teams then the All-Blacks are a fantastic organisation. I was intrigued by how they work, and I have to say I wasn't disappointed."