March 14, 2026 • 15 mins
An impasse could be brewing between Dave Rennie and New Zealand Rugby as the new All Blacks coach seeks to finalise his coaching team next week.
No contracts at this stage have been offered to any All Blacks assistants, but speculation indicates an announcement will be made soon.
NZ Herald rugby writer Gregor Paul joined D'Arcy to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Dave Rennie answer, you know the new All Blacks head coach.
The next question is who will his assistance be. Rumors
plainly have started to help us to get to the
bottom of those rumors. And a man who's got an
ear on the nature of New Zealand rugby, specifically All
Black rugby, as Gregor Paul from the New Zealand Herald's
(00:36):
chief rugby writer. He's got the inside word and we're
going to go to him now and find out what's
happening with the assistant coaches. Good afternoon, Gregor, I trust.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
You well, I'm very well thanks.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
That's what I like to hear. A big day today
with's a wonderful crosstown rivalry and I think that some
petrol's been poured on this fiery rivalry by Atana Umag.
This is my one pacifica up against the Blues. But
that's the one side we're focusing now out on. We're
too now for Dave Rennie. We know how the All
(01:09):
Blak coaches. What is he doing with his assistants? Because
I believe this decision is eminent.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
I think we'll get maybe confirmation at the end of
the week coming that's the plan. It might push on
to the next week, depending how intricate difficult contracts are
to actually put signatures on. But you know, I think
he's chosen as people. I think he knows who he wants.
(01:37):
There's clearly, because it's been written about by myself, an
issue with one of his choices that New Zealand Rugby
is not so much pushing back against but encouraging him
to consider retaining incumbent assistant coach Scott Hansen. So this
(01:59):
is a question here of Dave Rennie as keen on
my fellow Scotsman, fellow Edinburgh academy boy Mike Blair bring
him in as the attack coach. But it's not that
New Zealand are going on xenophobeck on this choice. I
think they're just pushing back against that and saying Scott
Henson's here. He's rated very well with the players, he's
(02:21):
got rapport with the players. Many of the players think
he's a good technical, tactical coach. Could you find a
way to keep him or just certainly challenge Dave to
say let's not throw this guy away just yet have
you truly considered what he might bring to your setup.
So I don't think it's forcing Dave to keep Scott Hanson.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
I think it's a.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Process here of saying, look, let's do a due diligence.
Let's make sure that you two have talked to each other,
that you've had a chance to see if you could
work together. And if at the end of that you're
still pretty sure that you don't want to keep Scott
and you want to work with Mike, then fair enough.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
How important is it for the O Blacks that Dave
Rennie essentially gets his way with the assistant coaches.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Well, it's not about getting his way.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
It's about getting a team that he's comfortable with, that
he's happy with, that he's sure can help him deliver
their success that he's hoping to have with the old Lecks.
It's about making sure that everyone is on the same
page and that they've got the right people, the best people,
and that everyone's convinced they've got the best people.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
So yeah, look, it's hugely important if you look.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
At what happened, you know with the Enfostered back in
two nineteen. They had a process to appoint him whereby
he had and his rival candidate, Scott Robertson had to
do the same thing. They both had to present to
the board as part of their head coach application. They
had to say and look, I will come with these
(03:51):
coaches here.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Now.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
That became a problem because it became a bit playground
esque where both you know, both parties had to sort
of scrap around and you're my team and if you're
my team, you can't be in his team type thing.
And Foster was also hampered in the end because he
had Jamie Joseph and Tony Brown lined up to be
in his team, but the process took so long to
go through that by the time he came to be interviewed,
(04:16):
Joseph and Tony Brown had both pulled out because they'd
been offered a heap more money to stay in Japan.
So Foster was scrambling around for two assistants late in
the peace, which he did. He found John Plumtree and
Brad Moore, and we know what happened there. They turned
out to not quite be up to standard and they
had to be let go midway through the tenure.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
That was a high drama moment.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
It was disruptive and looked with razor when he got
the job in twenty three. I don't think there was
any scrutiny on his choice of assistants, and five test
matches into his reign, Leo McDonald, one of his assistants,
walked out and Jason Holland, who was also part of
the team, didn't seek an extension on his contract at
(05:00):
the end of last year, again a signal that not
all was.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Quite right with that setup.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
So I think think is hugely important that there's a
lot of scrutiny, that there's good due diligence. Then New
Zealand Rugby puts a bit of pressure on Dave to
challenge his choices, but ultimately Deve has to be comfortable
with what he gets and New Zealand Rugby have to
be comfortable with what Dave wants.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Top brass in very important positions and ends are you'd
suggest that situation thread bear at best at the moment,
But you think who's around and making these decisions. They're
cognizance of what happened over the last three years. They're
not bearing their head in the sand like an Ostrians.
They've actually learned something that they can apply to this
current situation.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Yeah, well, I think so the fact that they're putting
a bit of heat on him to consider his options
to not just get the white gloves on and wave
through what he wants, But nor are they necessarily demanding
that he'd do something he doesn't want to do. So
I think it's a good compromise agreement that they've reached
here that Dave's to do a bit, you know, to
(06:07):
do a bit more consideration of what New Zealand Rugby
wants without being forced into doing what they want. So
it is a kind of look at the end of it,
if both ends ed are and Dave can walk away
going you know, we had a really good process there.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
We dug deep into all the all the.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Characters, all the names that were put forward, and New
Zealand Rugby puts forward a name. Dave has his own
people that he puts forward. At the end of it,
as long as everyone sort of dug into it, felt
that they've they've looked at everyone fairly, deeply and reasonably,
and that Dave's choices were made you know, with a
with a with a deep process of knowledge, and New
(06:49):
Zealand Rugby's acceptance that that's that's what happened. Then it
makes a huge difference because I don't think that's what's
happened in the last two regimes clearly because assistant coaches
didn't go the distance.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
It's a balance of power that is going to be
key in these decisions, and you get the feeling that
is going to happen with maybe nobody having the I
suppose that the final judgment out decent involvement with the
other And I looked at that with the players via
the coach as to what the players or the coach
(07:25):
want an assistant coach, I mean, how important is that balance?
It has to be the coaches the boss. But the
players are they going to play under these guys, right,
and they've got to know what they want. So again
another balanced situation has to be sorted.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Yeah, to a degree.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
I don't that you can hand it over too far
to the players about you know.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
How much say in control?
Speaker 4 (07:45):
I think they player input wider feedback from a whole
different variety of players, not just current All Blacks, but
former All Blacks, people that have played super rugby. They
all fed into the head coaching process to inform the decision.
It wasn't the players getting what they wanted, it was
New Zealand. I'd be asking players of all different types
(08:09):
of players, as I've just mentioned, what their assessment was
of Dave Anny, what their assessment was of Jamie Joseph,
because these guys have user experience, so they're the best
people to go to ask to.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Like, what's he really like? How well does he coach?
Speaker 4 (08:23):
And if you're a senior All Black, you know when
you've encountered a good coach. You know when you have
encountered a coach that you don't think is quite up
to These guys are really good at making assessments about coaches.
So in terms of the head coaching thing that definitely happened,
I don't think you would hand over too much around
the assistance or go too deep and getting players feedback
(08:45):
or extensive player feedback around those guys.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
You might ask a few questions of a few players
who might have coached.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
With people, But I think the critical issue here is
there's a nuance in that Specifically, Dave has worked quite
considerably with Mike Blayer, so Dave has a relationship with Mike,
so Dave's comfortable Mike knows how Dave wants to play
the game. They're currently working together at Kobe, so they've
(09:12):
got that trust, that instant rapport, that knowledge of one another.
But the players don't know Mike. New Zealand's players don't
know Mike. Mike doesn't know New Zealand players. So on
the other side of this equation is Scott Hanson, who
does know the players, who has worked with all Blacks.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
He is currently contracted.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
Effectively to the old Blacks, so that's bringing a bit
of value. So the question is does Scott Hanson's rapport
and knowledge with the players outrank Mike's relationship with Dave?
Which one's more important? Relationship with the players or relationship
with the incoming head coach. So I think that's the
balance at New Zealand Rugby, and the question that they're
(09:53):
getting Dave to ask himself about which one carries a
greater currency?
Speaker 3 (09:57):
I suppose.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
And you're going to be careful about making decisions by
committee because it never ends up well, does it. Gregor
Paul New Zealand Hero Rugby right joins us. You mentioned
before that he's got his team, who is it? Who
do you believe is going to be selected? And Tana Umanga,
who's managed to fend off these questions around is it
going to be him he's plainly up there, or is
(10:21):
he who do you like? Who do you think?
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Well?
Speaker 4 (10:24):
I think Tana's clearly been approached by Dave and that
would make sense. They've got a they go way back
to two thousand and Tana played for Wellington under death
Again as a relationship, I think they may have overlapped in.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Other places, but I can't think where.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
So clearly there's there's a bit of a mutual respect
between one another. Tana is currently head coach with Moana,
but he's been a defense coach separately with the Blues.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
I think am I right in thinking that he did
that for a week while?
Speaker 4 (10:55):
Look, he was clearly one of the best defense of
footballers I've ever seen. He was a brilliant defender on
the field, So there's no doubt that in understanding how
defense systems need.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
To be set up, Tanner would be right up there.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
Whether he's proven himself as an outstanding defensive.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Coach ready to step up to the All Blacks.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
Don't know, genuinely don't know, But I'm a big fan
of Tanna and I think put him in that environment,
and I think he under Dave's watchful eye. I think
he will be a good defensive coach for the All Blacks.
I think he will end up in that coaching team.
He's a Pacific rugby icon, if I could put it
that way. In a team that is probably has been
(11:42):
in the last couple of years, about seventy five percent
of the team have being pacifica or Maori. So don't
overlook the importance of that. That is a big factor
of having a guy that's highly connected in that world,
hugely respected. I think that's the big things. I think
he will find a way into that coaching group. I
(12:05):
think Neil Barnes has been a big factor in Dave's
coaching for a long time, and I think they're keen
to reconnect. And you know, Barnes brings a fairly direct approach.
People that know him says, hell of a smart guy.
He's got colorful language, which we all saw in that
sixth Nations documentary, which you know was was funny at
(12:27):
times and cringy at other times. But he's a guy
that knows rugby, and I think there's no harm in
having a really direct sharpshooter, direct talker, encouraging for us
to put, you know, shut the gobs, put their heads
down and the bumbs up and get on with it.
I think that's not a bad thing. So I think
he'll come in and then we're probably looking at either
(12:48):
Mikey Blair or Scott Hansen to lead the attack, and
I suspect it will be Mike that gets the nod
in the end, and maybe Andrew Strawbridge. Oh, and he's
going to keep Jason Ryan from the existing crew as
well to focus.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
More on scrammaging and mauling. And then maybe Andrew.
Speaker 4 (13:05):
Strawbridge as a skills coach who's previously been with the
Chiefs And it's kind of working as a contracting gun
for hire at the moment and doing a lot of
good work with England in the past, and I think
he's in Japan at the moment.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
The PACIFICA connection is important. Dave Rennie asked him about
that when he got given the job of the press
conference and he was like, no, everybody's important. It's not
just necessary MARII and Pacifica. But to have that connection
I think is huge. So you add Dave Rennie's Tana Umanger,
I don't think you can go wrong.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
No, it's huge.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
I mean Dave's point is he's got to connect with
all you know, if he's got forty three players and
his squad or whatever the number is, he's seen South Africa,
he's got to connect with all of them. The culture
has to be all inclusive for every single player. But
to your point, there is a specific element here of
the predominant heritage of.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
The players a Pacifica and Maori, and I think it's
just important.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
In previous all black regimes, you know, it's been an
entirely Caucasian coaching team, guys that have maybe maybe one
of the faults of the previous regime was they just
didn't connect with all the diverse elements of the all
black group. They've been used to coaching and the Crusaders
they had a way of doing it down there, and
(14:29):
they had a very kind of narrow view of the
world that didn't necessarily translate.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
All that way to the all Blacks.
Speaker 4 (14:35):
I think having Tana, having Dave with a real understanding
of who the people are that are in their playing group, I.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Think that'll be huge. I'm with you and that I agree.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Onwards and upwards very much looking forward to these appointments,
in fact appointments right across the board in New Zealand Rugby.
I really hope they managed to stitch up that ThReD
be in nature and on mat Gregor Paul and youw
Zell and Hill or rugby writer, we think very much
for your time, your insight, your expertise to look after
yourself well.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Thanks Darsie.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
I thank you very much Gregor in zid hero dot
co dot inzi if you want to read more of
what's lurking in Gregor Paul's Rugby Minded as well worth it.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
As for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen
live to News Talk zid B weekends from midday or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Dave Rennie answer, you know the new All Blacks head coach.
The next question is who will his assistance be. Rumors
plainly have started to help us to get to the
bottom of those rumors. And a man who's got an
ear on the nature of New Zealand rugby, specifically All
Black rugby, as Gregor Paul from the New Zealand Herald's
(00:36):
chief rugby writer. He's got the inside word and we're
going to go to him now and find out what's
happening with the assistant coaches. Good afternoon, Gregor, I trust.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
You well, I'm very well thanks.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
That's what I like to hear. A big day today
with's a wonderful crosstown rivalry and I think that some
petrol's been poured on this fiery rivalry by Atana Umag.
This is my one pacifica up against the Blues. But
that's the one side we're focusing now out on. We're
too now for Dave Rennie. We know how the All
(01:09):
Blak coaches. What is he doing with his assistants? Because
I believe this decision is eminent.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
I think we'll get maybe confirmation at the end of
the week coming that's the plan. It might push on
to the next week, depending how intricate difficult contracts are
to actually put signatures on. But you know, I think
he's chosen as people. I think he knows who he wants.
(01:37):
There's clearly, because it's been written about by myself, an
issue with one of his choices that New Zealand Rugby
is not so much pushing back against but encouraging him
to consider retaining incumbent assistant coach Scott Hansen. So this
(01:59):
is a question here of Dave Rennie as keen on
my fellow Scotsman, fellow Edinburgh academy boy Mike Blair bring
him in as the attack coach. But it's not that
New Zealand are going on xenophobeck on this choice. I
think they're just pushing back against that and saying Scott
Henson's here. He's rated very well with the players, he's
(02:21):
got rapport with the players. Many of the players think
he's a good technical, tactical coach. Could you find a
way to keep him or just certainly challenge Dave to
say let's not throw this guy away just yet have
you truly considered what he might bring to your setup.
So I don't think it's forcing Dave to keep Scott Hanson.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
I think it's a.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Process here of saying, look, let's do a due diligence.
Let's make sure that you two have talked to each other,
that you've had a chance to see if you could
work together. And if at the end of that you're
still pretty sure that you don't want to keep Scott
and you want to work with Mike, then fair enough.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
How important is it for the O Blacks that Dave
Rennie essentially gets his way with the assistant coaches.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Well, it's not about getting his way.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
It's about getting a team that he's comfortable with, that
he's happy with, that he's sure can help him deliver
their success that he's hoping to have with the old Lecks.
It's about making sure that everyone is on the same
page and that they've got the right people, the best people,
and that everyone's convinced they've got the best people.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
So yeah, look, it's hugely important if you look.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
At what happened, you know with the Enfostered back in
two nineteen. They had a process to appoint him whereby
he had and his rival candidate, Scott Robertson had to
do the same thing. They both had to present to
the board as part of their head coach application. They
had to say and look, I will come with these
(03:51):
coaches here.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Now.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
That became a problem because it became a bit playground
esque where both you know, both parties had to sort
of scrap around and you're my team and if you're
my team, you can't be in his team type thing.
And Foster was also hampered in the end because he
had Jamie Joseph and Tony Brown lined up to be
in his team, but the process took so long to
go through that by the time he came to be interviewed,
(04:16):
Joseph and Tony Brown had both pulled out because they'd
been offered a heap more money to stay in Japan.
So Foster was scrambling around for two assistants late in
the peace, which he did. He found John Plumtree and
Brad Moore, and we know what happened there. They turned
out to not quite be up to standard and they
had to be let go midway through the tenure.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
That was a high drama moment.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
It was disruptive and looked with razor when he got
the job in twenty three. I don't think there was
any scrutiny on his choice of assistants, and five test
matches into his reign, Leo McDonald, one of his assistants,
walked out and Jason Holland, who was also part of
the team, didn't seek an extension on his contract at
(05:00):
the end of last year, again a signal that not
all was.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Quite right with that setup.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
So I think think is hugely important that there's a
lot of scrutiny, that there's good due diligence. Then New
Zealand Rugby puts a bit of pressure on Dave to
challenge his choices, but ultimately Deve has to be comfortable
with what he gets and New Zealand Rugby have to
be comfortable with what Dave wants.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Top brass in very important positions and ends are you'd
suggest that situation thread bear at best at the moment,
But you think who's around and making these decisions. They're
cognizance of what happened over the last three years. They're
not bearing their head in the sand like an Ostrians.
They've actually learned something that they can apply to this
current situation.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Yeah, well, I think so the fact that they're putting
a bit of heat on him to consider his options
to not just get the white gloves on and wave
through what he wants, But nor are they necessarily demanding
that he'd do something he doesn't want to do. So
I think it's a good compromise agreement that they've reached
here that Dave's to do a bit, you know, to
(06:07):
do a bit more consideration of what New Zealand Rugby
wants without being forced into doing what they want. So
it is a kind of look at the end of it,
if both ends ed are and Dave can walk away
going you know, we had a really good process there.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
We dug deep into all the all the.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Characters, all the names that were put forward, and New
Zealand Rugby puts forward a name. Dave has his own
people that he puts forward. At the end of it,
as long as everyone sort of dug into it, felt
that they've they've looked at everyone fairly, deeply and reasonably,
and that Dave's choices were made you know, with a
with a with a deep process of knowledge, and New
(06:49):
Zealand Rugby's acceptance that that's that's what happened. Then it
makes a huge difference because I don't think that's what's
happened in the last two regimes clearly because assistant coaches
didn't go the distance.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
It's a balance of power that is going to be
key in these decisions, and you get the feeling that
is going to happen with maybe nobody having the I
suppose that the final judgment out decent involvement with the
other And I looked at that with the players via
the coach as to what the players or the coach
(07:25):
want an assistant coach, I mean, how important is that balance?
It has to be the coaches the boss. But the
players are they going to play under these guys, right,
and they've got to know what they want. So again
another balanced situation has to be sorted.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Yeah, to a degree.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
I don't that you can hand it over too far
to the players about you know.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
How much say in control?
Speaker 4 (07:45):
I think they player input wider feedback from a whole
different variety of players, not just current All Blacks, but
former All Blacks, people that have played super rugby. They
all fed into the head coaching process to inform the decision.
It wasn't the players getting what they wanted, it was
New Zealand. I'd be asking players of all different types
(08:09):
of players, as I've just mentioned, what their assessment was
of Dave Anny, what their assessment was of Jamie Joseph,
because these guys have user experience, so they're the best
people to go to ask to.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Like, what's he really like? How well does he coach?
Speaker 4 (08:23):
And if you're a senior All Black, you know when
you've encountered a good coach. You know when you have
encountered a coach that you don't think is quite up
to These guys are really good at making assessments about coaches.
So in terms of the head coaching thing that definitely happened,
I don't think you would hand over too much around
the assistance or go too deep and getting players feedback
(08:45):
or extensive player feedback around those guys.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
You might ask a few questions of a few players
who might have coached.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
With people, But I think the critical issue here is
there's a nuance in that Specifically, Dave has worked quite
considerably with Mike Blayer, so Dave has a relationship with Mike,
so Dave's comfortable Mike knows how Dave wants to play
the game. They're currently working together at Kobe, so they've
(09:12):
got that trust, that instant rapport, that knowledge of one another.
But the players don't know Mike. New Zealand's players don't
know Mike. Mike doesn't know New Zealand players. So on
the other side of this equation is Scott Hanson, who
does know the players, who has worked with all Blacks.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
He is currently contracted.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
Effectively to the old Blacks, so that's bringing a bit
of value. So the question is does Scott Hanson's rapport
and knowledge with the players outrank Mike's relationship with Dave?
Which one's more important? Relationship with the players or relationship
with the incoming head coach. So I think that's the
balance at New Zealand Rugby, and the question that they're
(09:53):
getting Dave to ask himself about which one carries a
greater currency?
Speaker 3 (09:57):
I suppose.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
And you're going to be careful about making decisions by
committee because it never ends up well, does it. Gregor
Paul New Zealand Hero Rugby right joins us. You mentioned
before that he's got his team, who is it? Who
do you believe is going to be selected? And Tana Umanga,
who's managed to fend off these questions around is it
going to be him he's plainly up there, or is
(10:21):
he who do you like? Who do you think?
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Well?
Speaker 4 (10:24):
I think Tana's clearly been approached by Dave and that
would make sense. They've got a they go way back
to two thousand and Tana played for Wellington under death
Again as a relationship, I think they may have overlapped in.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Other places, but I can't think where.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
So clearly there's there's a bit of a mutual respect
between one another. Tana is currently head coach with Moana,
but he's been a defense coach separately with the Blues.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
I think am I right in thinking that he did
that for a week while?
Speaker 4 (10:55):
Look, he was clearly one of the best defense of
footballers I've ever seen. He was a brilliant defender on
the field, So there's no doubt that in understanding how
defense systems need.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
To be set up, Tanner would be right up there.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
Whether he's proven himself as an outstanding defensive.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Coach ready to step up to the All Blacks.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
Don't know, genuinely don't know, But I'm a big fan
of Tanna and I think put him in that environment,
and I think he under Dave's watchful eye. I think
he will be a good defensive coach for the All Blacks.
I think he will end up in that coaching team.
He's a Pacific rugby icon, if I could put it
that way. In a team that is probably has been
(11:42):
in the last couple of years, about seventy five percent
of the team have being pacifica or Maori. So don't
overlook the importance of that. That is a big factor
of having a guy that's highly connected in that world,
hugely respected. I think that's the big things. I think
he will find a way into that coaching group. I
(12:05):
think Neil Barnes has been a big factor in Dave's
coaching for a long time, and I think they're keen
to reconnect. And you know, Barnes brings a fairly direct approach.
People that know him says, hell of a smart guy.
He's got colorful language, which we all saw in that
sixth Nations documentary, which you know was was funny at
(12:27):
times and cringy at other times. But he's a guy
that knows rugby, and I think there's no harm in
having a really direct sharpshooter, direct talker, encouraging for us
to put, you know, shut the gobs, put their heads
down and the bumbs up and get on with it.
I think that's not a bad thing. So I think
he'll come in and then we're probably looking at either
(12:48):
Mikey Blair or Scott Hansen to lead the attack, and
I suspect it will be Mike that gets the nod
in the end, and maybe Andrew Strawbridge. Oh, and he's
going to keep Jason Ryan from the existing crew as
well to focus.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
More on scrammaging and mauling. And then maybe Andrew.
Speaker 4 (13:05):
Strawbridge as a skills coach who's previously been with the
Chiefs And it's kind of working as a contracting gun
for hire at the moment and doing a lot of
good work with England in the past, and I think
he's in Japan at the moment.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
The PACIFICA connection is important. Dave Rennie asked him about
that when he got given the job of the press
conference and he was like, no, everybody's important. It's not
just necessary MARII and Pacifica. But to have that connection
I think is huge. So you add Dave Rennie's Tana Umanger,
I don't think you can go wrong.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
No, it's huge.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
I mean Dave's point is he's got to connect with
all you know, if he's got forty three players and
his squad or whatever the number is, he's seen South Africa,
he's got to connect with all of them. The culture
has to be all inclusive for every single player. But
to your point, there is a specific element here of
the predominant heritage of.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
The players a Pacifica and Maori, and I think it's
just important.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
In previous all black regimes, you know, it's been an
entirely Caucasian coaching team, guys that have maybe maybe one
of the faults of the previous regime was they just
didn't connect with all the diverse elements of the all
black group. They've been used to coaching and the Crusaders
they had a way of doing it down there, and
(14:29):
they had a very kind of narrow view of the
world that didn't necessarily translate.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
All that way to the all Blacks.
Speaker 4 (14:35):
I think having Tana, having Dave with a real understanding
of who the people are that are in their playing group, I.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Think that'll be huge. I'm with you and that I agree.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Onwards and upwards very much looking forward to these appointments,
in fact appointments right across the board in New Zealand Rugby.
I really hope they managed to stitch up that ThReD
be in nature and on mat Gregor Paul and youw
Zell and Hill or rugby writer, we think very much
for your time, your insight, your expertise to look after
yourself well.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Thanks Darsie.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
I thank you very much Gregor in zid hero dot
co dot inzi if you want to read more of
what's lurking in Gregor Paul's Rugby Minded as well worth it.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
As for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen
live to News Talk zid B weekends from midday or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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