March 23, 2026 • 10 mins
On the latest Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Liam Napier return for an emergency episode breaking down the major news out of New Zealand Rugby.
They discuss the newly unveiled coaching team of All Blacks coach Dave Rennie, which features All Blacks great and current Moana Pasifika coach Tana Umaga, and Jason Ryan as the only member carried over from Scott Robertson’s tenure.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B.
Follow this and our Wide Ranger podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Straight down the Middle.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Scot.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Try get inside the game from every end goal. It's
Rugby Direct with Elliott Smith and Leam Napier, powered by
News Talks EDB.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Welcome into Rugby Directs are powered by Habit Health Physio
backed with the Emergency Podcast.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
As the All Blacks assistant coaches.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Have been named Elliott Smith with me, Liam Napier and Napes,
we finally have our All Blacks coaching staff complete.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Not too many surprises.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
If you haven't caught up with it by now, well
it's pretty much what has been reported for the last
few weeks. Dave Ronnie obviously the head coach, Neil Barnes
senior assistant coach, Jason Ryan, Ford's coach for a long time,
Umonga the defense coach, Mike Lee are the attack coach,
and Phil Heay is the head of performance.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Liam.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
I guess your initial reaction to that coaching group now
that it's out.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
I guess, first and foremost, Elliott, it's a full scale
bean out essentially, isn't it. Jason Ryan the only coach
to retain his posts which might be rescoped as well.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
So we expected that with Dave.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
Rennie coming in a new head coach, but I think
it also speaks to some of the flaws in the
previous coaching stuff. I know New Zealand Rugby wanted Dave
Rennie to strongly consider Scott Hansen, but ultimately Rennie has
got his man and Mike Bleir to run the attack.
Interesting to see somebody Allison's promotion to a Mauldy or
(01:53):
Black's head coach. I think that speaks to his standing
and how he's regarded with the New Zealand Rugby on
the whole. This coaching team, I guess the proof is
going to be in the pudding, isn't it. I'm sure
there are some question marks, but it is an experienced
coaching group. They've had a lot of experiences. Neil Barnes
(02:15):
coaching internationally, among has been around. He commands a lot
of mana and I think what you'll see from that
group is there's some hard heads and I think there'll
be a real edge and I think you'll see the
All Blacks be a lot more physical and direct in
their approach and then look to bring some panash back
(02:35):
to their attack as well.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Well, this is what I was going to ask as well.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Obviously they've gone with Mike Blair as the attack coach
and decided that Scott Hansen's not the guy, or Dave
Rinnie has decided that he's not the guy. But I
think you look at him and go, clearly, this is
a guy that's comfortable working with Dave Rinnie. Mike Bleir
and daver Reny've worked together in a couple of teams.
Now they know they're attacking style. So you'd expect some
(02:59):
innovation there from Mike Bleir given the way that Kobe
haven't played this year and got themselves right up there
in terms of the Japanese comp So there's a few
clue there as to how the All Blacks might play
under Dave Rennie and Mike Blears attacking systems.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
I think the key point there is that they've worked
together and they know each other well, and they can
plot plans from now until July when they'll take charge
of the All Blacks while they their commitment is to Kobe.
In their downtime they're in Japan together, they can work
on formulating structures and systems to bring into that All
(03:37):
Blacks attack and let's not overlook the fact that Dave
Rennie by trade as an attack coach, and so he'll
have some clear ideas about where he wants to go
with that and where he wants Mike Blair to fit
in and what he wants them to bring, and they've
clearly been doing.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
That for the last few years together.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
From what I understand, Mike Blair is quite a structured,
stats based attack coach, so maybe he's a bit of
a foil for Renny in that regard.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Will you surprised that Jason Ryan stuck around looking We
kind of expect to that He's going to have a
little bit of a truncated role, but going to focus
on the scrum and the mall. Neil Barnes is going
to have a look at the lineouts as well as
his senior assistance. Brief but clearly Jason Ryan and what
he brings to this group is value given he's the
only survivor from the previous regime.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, not just the previous regime, is it?
Speaker 5 (04:29):
He's now coached under three All Black head coaches, Ian Foster,
Scott Robertson and incoming head coach Dave Rene so I
think he's highly regarded by the players, but.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
It is interesting to see his role rescope.
Speaker 5 (04:44):
I think under Scott Robertson his remits probably became too broad.
He had a huge responsibility for the Ford pack, the
line out, the scrum, the mall, the contact area, all
those things prior to Brent Evans coming on board as
lineout coach last year. So I think it is important
(05:06):
that those roles are tightened up and rarely defined, and
I think that will help bring out the best in
Jason Ryan. But I'm not surprised to see him retains.
Any time you talk to players within their all black environment,
they speak highly of Jason Ryan. So I guess there
is some form of continuity there, but there are massive changes,
(05:26):
aren't there on the whole.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
There are indeed tana Umunger as well coming in as
defense coach. Now people probably look at Mowana Pacifica and
go they ship fifty on the weekend. They shipped forty
three last week against the Blues. They had a big
heavy loss to the Hurricanes earlier on in the season.
What does this bloke know about defense? Is it a
(05:48):
case of not having the cattle at Mowana Pacifica and
the defensive systems are actually okay because you look back
at the Blues tenure when he was there and relatively
good success. I think he left end of twenty twenty
two if memory serves to fulfill that Mowana role. So
he's been out of that Blues environment for a couple
of years where he was the assists. But as a
(06:09):
case of when he's got a narrow focus, it's the
right role for Tanaumonger.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
Look, I can understand question marks about Tana specifically as
a defense coach in regards to Howmana are traveling currently.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I think.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
It's very easy to look at them in their current state.
But they did well last year and I think he
was reasonably good at the Blues as a defense coach
and a lot is a very important role.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
And for me, Look.
Speaker 5 (06:39):
While structures and systems are important, and we've seen the
prevalence of rush defense and potentially been more exposed in
recent times with teams finding ways around to get their
wingers the ball in space, but for me, defense is
as much attitude as anything else, and it's putting your
(07:00):
body on the line. It's been physical and that's a
high priority, and I think Tina coming in is going
to command that respect. He's going to bring their edge.
And I think what he brought as a player certainly
was that physicality, the ability to knock people over, the
ability to get turnover possession, and you know, the All
(07:21):
Blacks historically not so much. Under Raiser was so good
at flicking the switch between defense and attack, and I
think we need to see a massive improvement in that regard.
So I think maybe the jury's out in regards toa
Tana as a defense coach.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
But I think from an.
Speaker 5 (07:36):
Attitude perspective, if he's getting up and telling you to
get off the line and smack someone over, you're gonna
listen and follow what he says.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
Yeah, he brings marna, and marna isn't everything. You know,
He's still got to do the job, but he comes
into the environment with a lot of respect. I think
Tinman and just to round this out, this quick podcast
napes Neil Barnes coming and we touched on him at
the top of He's bit of a cult hero around
the Traps. Here an interview with him, and he's got
that old school mentality. He was a bit of a
(08:06):
cult hero from the Netflix series and the Six Nations
they did when he was assistant coach with Italy, but
put that all aside, and he's very astute coach and
you look at his record with Tartanaki, it's outstanding. He's
brought a lot of young players through, worked with a
lot of you know, players at a grassroots level up
and developed them into super uggie players and beyond. It's
(08:27):
convencing to see how they know him and Reny sloped
back together after a few years apart. And whether it's
a good cop bad cop scenarigo, but I think ultimately
this is a nice move for the all blacks environment.
Speaker 5 (08:39):
I think that's a good way of painting that actually
a good cop bad cop when he's very open about
the fact that he'll put an arm around you while
he kicks you. In terms of trying to get the
best out of it, well, Neil Barnes is very much
a hard heads and he's not afraid to be outspoken
publicly against New Zealand Rugby and the like, and recent
times he's a very big advocate for the NPC. He's
(09:02):
very forth right in his views and doesn't stuffer fools
and I think we saw him get the best out
of the Chiefs Foard Pack under any He's widely regarded
as a great line out technician, which would be very
important in terms of the All Blacks winning ball and
contesting ball. But fundamentally, I think he's just a tough
(09:25):
man and hard heads, like you say, old school, and
I think there's a place for that in modern rugby,
a place to hit players between the eyes. We've seen
Van Kotta have success in that regards at the Blues.
I think Jamie Joseph is that type of character, and
I think Neil Barnes will bring that type of attitudes
(09:45):
and intensity and forthrightness to the All Blacks environments and
you know, ensure that everyone's on the same page, but
also if someone needs to kick up the ars, that
they'll get that too.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
That's sort of the environment we promote here on Ragby
Direct as well. I think I'm the good copy or
the bad cop, and it works really well.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
It does indeed, Yeah, the dream Team.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
All right, Nate say, thanks for jumping on. We'll hear
more from you, hopefully later in the week on our
Thursday edition of Rugby Direct. But there are the assistance
of the All Blacks named today. You can catch up
with more ended here all dot co dot indeed for
on News Talk SIB as well catch you next time
on Rugby Director thanks to Mark Kelly and how sponsors
have a health Visio books today.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
And stay in the game for more from News Talk SEDB.
Listen live on air or online, and keep our shows
with you wherever you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B.
Follow this and our Wide Ranger podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Straight down the Middle.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Scot.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Try get inside the game from every end goal. It's
Rugby Direct with Elliott Smith and Leam Napier, powered by
News Talks EDB.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Welcome into Rugby Directs are powered by Habit Health Physio
backed with the Emergency Podcast.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
As the All Blacks assistant coaches.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Have been named Elliott Smith with me, Liam Napier and Napes,
we finally have our All Blacks coaching staff complete.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Not too many surprises.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
If you haven't caught up with it by now, well
it's pretty much what has been reported for the last
few weeks. Dave Ronnie obviously the head coach, Neil Barnes
senior assistant coach, Jason Ryan, Ford's coach for a long time,
Umonga the defense coach, Mike Lee are the attack coach,
and Phil Heay is the head of performance.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Liam.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
I guess your initial reaction to that coaching group now
that it's out.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
I guess, first and foremost, Elliott, it's a full scale
bean out essentially, isn't it. Jason Ryan the only coach
to retain his posts which might be rescoped as well.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
So we expected that with Dave.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
Rennie coming in a new head coach, but I think
it also speaks to some of the flaws in the
previous coaching stuff. I know New Zealand Rugby wanted Dave
Rennie to strongly consider Scott Hansen, but ultimately Rennie has
got his man and Mike Bleir to run the attack.
Interesting to see somebody Allison's promotion to a Mauldy or
(01:53):
Black's head coach. I think that speaks to his standing
and how he's regarded with the New Zealand Rugby on
the whole. This coaching team, I guess the proof is
going to be in the pudding, isn't it. I'm sure
there are some question marks, but it is an experienced
coaching group. They've had a lot of experiences. Neil Barnes
(02:15):
coaching internationally, among has been around. He commands a lot
of mana and I think what you'll see from that
group is there's some hard heads and I think there'll
be a real edge and I think you'll see the
All Blacks be a lot more physical and direct in
their approach and then look to bring some panash back
(02:35):
to their attack as well.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Well, this is what I was going to ask as well.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Obviously they've gone with Mike Blair as the attack coach
and decided that Scott Hansen's not the guy, or Dave
Rinnie has decided that he's not the guy. But I
think you look at him and go, clearly, this is
a guy that's comfortable working with Dave Rinnie. Mike Bleir
and daver Reny've worked together in a couple of teams.
Now they know they're attacking style. So you'd expect some
(02:59):
innovation there from Mike Bleir given the way that Kobe
haven't played this year and got themselves right up there
in terms of the Japanese comp So there's a few
clue there as to how the All Blacks might play
under Dave Rennie and Mike Blears attacking systems.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
I think the key point there is that they've worked
together and they know each other well, and they can
plot plans from now until July when they'll take charge
of the All Blacks while they their commitment is to Kobe.
In their downtime they're in Japan together, they can work
on formulating structures and systems to bring into that All
(03:37):
Blacks attack and let's not overlook the fact that Dave
Rennie by trade as an attack coach, and so he'll
have some clear ideas about where he wants to go
with that and where he wants Mike Blair to fit
in and what he wants them to bring, and they've
clearly been doing.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
That for the last few years together.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
From what I understand, Mike Blair is quite a structured,
stats based attack coach, so maybe he's a bit of
a foil for Renny in that regard.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Will you surprised that Jason Ryan stuck around looking We
kind of expect to that He's going to have a
little bit of a truncated role, but going to focus
on the scrum and the mall. Neil Barnes is going
to have a look at the lineouts as well as
his senior assistance. Brief but clearly Jason Ryan and what
he brings to this group is value given he's the
only survivor from the previous regime.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, not just the previous regime, is it?
Speaker 5 (04:29):
He's now coached under three All Black head coaches, Ian Foster,
Scott Robertson and incoming head coach Dave Rene so I
think he's highly regarded by the players, but.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
It is interesting to see his role rescope.
Speaker 5 (04:44):
I think under Scott Robertson his remits probably became too broad.
He had a huge responsibility for the Ford pack, the
line out, the scrum, the mall, the contact area, all
those things prior to Brent Evans coming on board as
lineout coach last year. So I think it is important
(05:06):
that those roles are tightened up and rarely defined, and
I think that will help bring out the best in
Jason Ryan. But I'm not surprised to see him retains.
Any time you talk to players within their all black environment,
they speak highly of Jason Ryan. So I guess there
is some form of continuity there, but there are massive changes,
(05:26):
aren't there on the whole.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
There are indeed tana Umunger as well coming in as
defense coach. Now people probably look at Mowana Pacifica and
go they ship fifty on the weekend. They shipped forty
three last week against the Blues. They had a big
heavy loss to the Hurricanes earlier on in the season.
What does this bloke know about defense? Is it a
(05:48):
case of not having the cattle at Mowana Pacifica and
the defensive systems are actually okay because you look back
at the Blues tenure when he was there and relatively
good success. I think he left end of twenty twenty
two if memory serves to fulfill that Mowana role. So
he's been out of that Blues environment for a couple
of years where he was the assists. But as a
(06:09):
case of when he's got a narrow focus, it's the
right role for Tanaumonger.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
Look, I can understand question marks about Tana specifically as
a defense coach in regards to Howmana are traveling currently.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I think.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
It's very easy to look at them in their current state.
But they did well last year and I think he
was reasonably good at the Blues as a defense coach
and a lot is a very important role.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
And for me, Look.
Speaker 5 (06:39):
While structures and systems are important, and we've seen the
prevalence of rush defense and potentially been more exposed in
recent times with teams finding ways around to get their
wingers the ball in space, but for me, defense is
as much attitude as anything else, and it's putting your
(07:00):
body on the line. It's been physical and that's a
high priority, and I think Tina coming in is going
to command that respect. He's going to bring their edge.
And I think what he brought as a player certainly
was that physicality, the ability to knock people over, the
ability to get turnover possession, and you know, the All
(07:21):
Blacks historically not so much. Under Raiser was so good
at flicking the switch between defense and attack, and I
think we need to see a massive improvement in that regard.
So I think maybe the jury's out in regards toa
Tana as a defense coach.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
But I think from an.
Speaker 5 (07:36):
Attitude perspective, if he's getting up and telling you to
get off the line and smack someone over, you're gonna
listen and follow what he says.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
Yeah, he brings marna, and marna isn't everything. You know,
He's still got to do the job, but he comes
into the environment with a lot of respect. I think
Tinman and just to round this out, this quick podcast
napes Neil Barnes coming and we touched on him at
the top of He's bit of a cult hero around
the Traps. Here an interview with him, and he's got
that old school mentality. He was a bit of a
(08:06):
cult hero from the Netflix series and the Six Nations
they did when he was assistant coach with Italy, but
put that all aside, and he's very astute coach and
you look at his record with Tartanaki, it's outstanding. He's
brought a lot of young players through, worked with a
lot of you know, players at a grassroots level up
and developed them into super uggie players and beyond. It's
(08:27):
convencing to see how they know him and Reny sloped
back together after a few years apart. And whether it's
a good cop bad cop scenarigo, but I think ultimately
this is a nice move for the all blacks environment.
Speaker 5 (08:39):
I think that's a good way of painting that actually
a good cop bad cop when he's very open about
the fact that he'll put an arm around you while
he kicks you. In terms of trying to get the
best out of it, well, Neil Barnes is very much
a hard heads and he's not afraid to be outspoken
publicly against New Zealand Rugby and the like, and recent
times he's a very big advocate for the NPC. He's
(09:02):
very forth right in his views and doesn't stuffer fools
and I think we saw him get the best out
of the Chiefs Foard Pack under any He's widely regarded
as a great line out technician, which would be very
important in terms of the All Blacks winning ball and
contesting ball. But fundamentally, I think he's just a tough
(09:25):
man and hard heads, like you say, old school, and
I think there's a place for that in modern rugby,
a place to hit players between the eyes. We've seen
Van Kotta have success in that regards at the Blues.
I think Jamie Joseph is that type of character, and
I think Neil Barnes will bring that type of attitudes
(09:45):
and intensity and forthrightness to the All Blacks environments and
you know, ensure that everyone's on the same page, but
also if someone needs to kick up the ars, that
they'll get that too.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
That's sort of the environment we promote here on Ragby
Direct as well. I think I'm the good copy or
the bad cop, and it works really well.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
It does indeed, Yeah, the dream Team.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
All right, Nate say, thanks for jumping on. We'll hear
more from you, hopefully later in the week on our
Thursday edition of Rugby Direct. But there are the assistance
of the All Blacks named today. You can catch up
with more ended here all dot co dot indeed for
on News Talk SIB as well catch you next time
on Rugby Director thanks to Mark Kelly and how sponsors
have a health Visio books today.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
And stay in the game for more from News Talk SEDB.
Listen live on air or online, and keep our shows
with you wherever you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
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