Cory Jane: Former All Black previews the second South Africa clash in Wellington

Former All Blacks wing Cory Jane has emphasised the importance of aerial kicking battles in international rugby and says the All Blacks must improve their technique under the high ball. 

It comes after the All Blacks and Springboks were pinged several times for shepherding on the back of contestable kicks, as the All Blacks extended their unbeaten Eden Park streak to 51 games last weekend. 

Speaking on Newstalk ZB’s Weekend Sport with Jason Pine, Jane said with World Rugby cracking down on players shielding teammates catching high balls, “the importance of technique is back”. 

“I think there are too many guys jumping in the air and turning their bodies, turning their hips. And most teams that are chasing are just jumping to try to whack the ball back, they’re actually not trying to catch the ball. 

“So, you have to be better with your technique and by that I mean being square into the collision. You’re allowed to protect yourself with your knee jumping up and being nice and square, and guys should be able to back themselves to catch the ball.” 

The 53-test All Black said better technique would also lead to safer collisions. 

“If you turn your body and your knees a little bit sideways and you get hit you could fall on the back of your head, you can flip over the guy, so it’s also a little bit of safety for the catcher to get back to a better technique.” 

Cory Jane says with World Rugby cracking down on players shielding teammates catching high balls, “the importance of technique is back”. Photo / Photosport 

Asked how tempting it is to look at defenders rushing at you while you’re waiting to catch a high-ball, Jane said “you know that they’re coming and you can feel them coming when you’re watching the ball”. 

“You should do your homework. I know when I played a long, long time ago, you knew which wingers were chasing and how they like to attack the ball.” 

Jane said teams are also using a box kick as a weapon now, seeing it as an opportunity to put their opposition under pressure. 

“If you’re playing with the ball and you’re going eight, 10, 15 phases and you’re not making any inroads into the defence, you can put yourself under pressure. So you see it at international level ... the box kicking or the kicking can take a little bit of pressure off your attack, can put pressure back on to the catching team and then you can put them under pressure with your defence.” 

He thought the All Blacks would opt for more running rugby in Wellington on Saturday night after being engaged in a kick-heavy affair in Auckland last weekend. 

“I don’t think they’ll want to continue to go into box kicks and play, I guess, the way that South Africa have played the game, but it’s a great way to not put yourself under pressure.” 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks ed B.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Let's bring it now one of our great test wingers.

Speaker 3 (00:15):
As Jimmy Cown gets it. Word to Jane a little bit,
four tier Cory Tame season, Yes, he goes, he's got
some twenty good teams.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Cory Jane back to his best, and his best was very,
very good. Fifty three test, fifty five game former or
blacks winger, eighteen tries and those fifty three tests at
twenty eleven Rugby World Cup winning Our assistant coach at
the Hurricanes, Corey Jane is with us. Corey, can we
start with the aerial game because it's been such a
talking point, not just in this little period of the

(00:49):
Rugby Championship.

Speaker 3 (00:50):
But right across the year.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
Really, you were a master of diffusing those aerial bombs.
So what are the key parts of being good under
the high ball defensively to start with?

Speaker 4 (01:03):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (01:03):
Mate, it's an awesome talking point, isn't it.

Speaker 4 (01:06):
Look we were we had mcburn teaching us back in
the days, and it's come back to where it kind
of was back when when I played in the year.

Speaker 3 (01:17):
The contest in the air and it went away from
it a bit. You know, we're able to block. Now
we've come back into it again. So the importance of
technique is back.

Speaker 4 (01:28):
We lost it there for a little bit because you
were able to shield for them. So you have to
be better with your technique, and by that I mean
being square into the into the collision. You're allowed to
protect yourself with your knee jumping up and being nice
and square, and guys should be able to back themselves
to catch the ball. I think there's too many guys

(01:49):
jumping in the air and turning their bodies, turning their hips,
and most teams that are chasing are just jumping to
try to whack the ball back.

Speaker 3 (01:57):
They're actually not trying to catch the ball.

Speaker 4 (02:00):
And so you've got to be a bit more square
in your jump and a bit earlier to try to
win ball, especially when they're kicking it to you.

Speaker 2 (02:08):
So in other words, as you jump up, you should
basically be facing the goalpost at the other end or
facing the other end square on yep.

Speaker 3 (02:16):
And you do that not only to be stronger to
catch the ball, because with your knee up and you're.

Speaker 4 (02:23):
In a strong position, but it's also it protects yourself
as well, because if you don't jump square, if your
knees square and you get hit as the collisions happen,
you're in a stronger position. If you tune your your
body and your knees a little bit sidewards and you
get hit, you could fall on the back of your head.

Speaker 3 (02:40):
You can flip over the guy.

Speaker 4 (02:41):
So it's also a little bit of safety for the
catcher to get back to a better technique. And again,
most people have lost it because you're able to block
for them, so you could cheat the technique a little
bit more.

Speaker 3 (02:53):
But yeah, that's the that's the most that's the better
way to catch it and the safest way.

Speaker 2 (02:59):
And they say keep the eye that keep your eye
on the ball, which I'm sure is important too, But
how how tempting is it to have alway look at
who's who's sort of closing in on you from an
opposition point of view.

Speaker 4 (03:10):
NA, be honest, man, You know that they're coming and
you can feel them when you're watching the ball anyway,
and you do you should do your homework. You I know,
when I played a long long time ago, you knew
which wingers you were, you were who was chasing and
how they.

Speaker 3 (03:26):
Like to attack the ball, and so you do all
that anyway, and it's cool getting up in the air.

Speaker 4 (03:32):
Rugby has changed now, and it's funny when you when
I hear people talk about catching high balls and wingers
need to help the fullbacks and all that. Back when
I played, there was one fullback and wingers were in
the backsfield. Now days, you know, the last six seven years,
there's two fullbacks, your fullbacks in the backfield and your
tens boys in the backfield. So wingers don't catch high

(03:55):
balls anymore. It's your fifteen and it's your ten catching
high balls. So when they say that wingers need to
help will Jordan that in the backfield catching high balls,
they don't do it.

Speaker 3 (04:04):
It's just the system and the game's change.

Speaker 4 (04:07):
It's more and you're ten and you're fifteen to be
better at at.

Speaker 3 (04:11):
Catching techniques than it as wingers these days.

Speaker 2 (04:13):
I remember, though, that Rugby World Cup semi final in
twenty eleven. You knew Australia were going to kick all night.
You Israel, Dad, Richard Carhui diffused everything. I remember all
three of you being under the high ball, you know,
quite regularly that night, or as my memory failed me.

Speaker 3 (04:28):
We know, we had a.

Speaker 4 (04:31):
Mindset that whole World Cup to be one hundred percent
and so we put a lot of work into catching
eyeballs and I know the guys do now again, but
you know, like technique becomes a massive part of it,
and lot we didn't know that Ossie were going to
put heaps of high balls up because we'd actually done
an all right job during the whole World Cup. Well
they just keep putting them up, and you know we

(04:53):
had a focus to diffuse them and you know we
managed to do that. But yeah, like the games come
back where the box kick is massive again and you
know it's going to be there, and I don't know
if it's exactly what World Rugby wanted to speed the
game up, because everyone's setting up box kicks now. But

(05:16):
the contact in the air, the collision, you know, it's
back and I don't mind it because I, again, I
made a living of catching those things, so I actually
enjoy seeing guys contest in the air.

Speaker 2 (05:26):
What about from attacking point of view, though, Cory, A
lot of people are mystified by the box cack. When
you're in possession, obviously you've got the ball you kick at.
In general, terms, What is the what is the idea
behind box kicking.

Speaker 3 (05:40):
Well, it's hard to catch now, you know, like it
used to be. You know, you can put.

Speaker 4 (05:45):
The the defensive team under pressure. You can isolate guys
in the backfield. They're probably not the best at catching.
And nowadays it's just such a well last year or so,
it's such an area where it's so contested and you
know most teams aren't catching them and so there's fifty

(06:06):
fifties on the ground and the ball can go anywhere
and you can get a knock on, so you can
get a set piece. And I think the All Blacks
will try and play a little bit more tonight. I
don't think they'll want to continue to go into box
kicks and play the I guess the way that South
Africa have played the game. But it's just a great

(06:26):
way to not.

Speaker 3 (06:28):
Put yourself under pressure.

Speaker 4 (06:30):
You know, if you're playing with the ball and you're
going eighteen fifteen phases and you're not making any inroads
into the defense, you can put yourself under pressure. And
so you see at international level playoff football, the box
kicking or the kicking can take a little bit of
pressure off off your attack, can put pressure back onto
the catching team and then you can put them under

(06:51):
pressure with your defense.

Speaker 3 (06:53):
So it's a massive part.

Speaker 4 (06:56):
In the game and it's only going to grow with this,
you know, the way that it's gone now off the
collision work.

Speaker 3 (07:02):
Great insight, mate, great insight.

Speaker 2 (07:03):
Just want to ask you about a couple of players
who you've had a lot to do with with the Hurricanes.
Billy propped us the first one. He's been giving a
decent crack in the thirteen jersey this year for the
All Blacks. Tonight will be his sixth test of the
seven this year. How do you reckon he's going for
the All Blacks at thirteen?

Speaker 3 (07:18):
Yeah, I don't think he's gone as bad as some
people have said.

Speaker 4 (07:20):
Obviously he's not, you know, his testmus Rugby, he's not
standing out like like I guess he does with the Hurricanes.
But if your watch his game properly, and what he
does for the Canes is his energy and effort and
to always be an option and to always be in
the right place and to always clean up passes that
have gone to ground or kicks or make reads on

(07:43):
defense like that was a big part.

Speaker 3 (07:44):
Of it, and he's doing it now. For the All Blacks.
I think a little bit of maybe guys inside him.

Speaker 4 (07:51):
Jeordia a couple of times has made some interesting reads
which has put pressure on which put pressure on Billy,
but also did that of Anton when he got the
yellow card.

Speaker 3 (08:03):
That was Jordie's fault from jamming in.

Speaker 4 (08:06):
And then the wingers just where they're positioned, can can
help or can make it harder on midfielders because that's
where the pressure point is both attack and d and
so so a couple of the scrum options when he's
got beaten, especially against France, wasn't his fault. It was
the wingers been been too deep in that one, so
they didn't help him. So look, he's he's got to

(08:29):
be better because the pressure.

Speaker 3 (08:30):
Is on him.

Speaker 4 (08:30):
But he hasn't been as bad as as some people
have made out.

Speaker 2 (08:35):
And while I was and Rubin Love is the other one,
he gets an opportunity off the bench tonight, just a
second test of the year. Third overall, I guess he
just has to be patient, does he. We all know
what a good player rig is, but in a stacked backfield,
does he just have to be a bit patient?

Speaker 3 (08:50):
Yeah, he does, and he's just got to take his opportunities.
You know, Will Jordan's at four.

Speaker 4 (08:55):
We got McKenzie, who's I think is you know, just
as good at the back, and he's awesome at catching
high boards. And I think Ruben's best attribute is going
to be high balls. You know, he's got off off
both legs jumping. We're not if you if you watch
Will Jordan's and McKenzies and guys like that, they can
only jump off one one side of the you know,

(09:15):
one leg, where Reuben can actually jump off both.

Speaker 3 (09:19):
So he suited around the whole field. So that's his
best attribute.

Speaker 4 (09:23):
And if do kext coming, he gets an opportunity, you know,
he's just got to take it.

Speaker 3 (09:27):
And but yeah, you're gonna have to be patient.

Speaker 4 (09:29):
Everyone knows, and and rugby or in sports and any team,
if you've got quality guys in front of you, you know,
you can't expect to just say, coach, drop them and
let me ever go. You've got to, you know, continue
to train well. And when you do good opportunities, you've
got to you've got to perform.

Speaker 3 (09:45):
So then your coaches start thinking, yeah, I can play
this guy.

Speaker 2 (09:48):
Do you reckon we'll win again tonight.

Speaker 3 (09:51):
Yeah, I think I think so, I hope. So I'm
gonna be there. I'm taking my my youngest, my youngest
daughter to his first All Black game, So yeah, I hope.
So I think.

Speaker 4 (10:03):
You know, like I said, the All Backs might throw
it around a little bit more than than what.

Speaker 3 (10:06):
They did South Africa.

Speaker 4 (10:10):
I don't have to be so predictable as they were
to start the game, you know, the same kind of
line out strike to throw them all and got picked
the part and they started bad and they worked their
way back into it. So I reckon is going to
be an unbelievable test match in What a cool place
to be in at the Capitol.

Speaker 3 (10:29):
Absolutely right.

Speaker 2 (10:30):
Great to chat as always, Corey, enjoy the game, mate,
Thanks for your time.

Speaker 3 (10:33):
Here's Bonny, good on you mate.

Speaker 2 (10:34):
That is Cory Jane, assistant coach with the Hurricanes these
days and former All Blacks winger of course rugby World
Cup winner. He knows a lot about the game of rugby,
you can tell just by listening to him. Corey Jane's
always been a guy who's been a bit of a joker.
I think he's always great in media situations, was when
he was playing, but always sort of considered as a

(10:55):
as a you know, a bit of a joker, a
guy who was going to bring everybody together with a
laugh and you know, a clever line. But he has
a deep rugby knowledge. It's obvious just from listening to him.
In the detail he went into there about how as
you catch.

Speaker 3 (11:10):
The high ball, why you do box kicks?

Speaker 2 (11:12):
What we should be looking for when we look at
the way Billy Propt is playing for the All Blacks
at the moment? Was this says on text, please make
Corey Jane the next All Blacks coach. Well, you know
he's in that Hurricane system. He's in charge of defense
at Hurricanes HQ. And I'll tell you what, he's clearly
built up a very impressive breadth of rugby. Knowlan's great

(11:34):
to have Corey Jane on the show.

Speaker 1 (11:36):
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