AS RUMOURS OF their demise spread in recent years, New Zealand quietly went about adding a few more trophies to their already jam-packed cabinet.
Tomorrow, the Kiwis are going after their third consecutive Rugby Championship when they take on Australia in front of a crowd of around 85,000 people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground [KO 10.45am Irish time, Sky Sports Action]. They also won the title in 2020 when the Springboks didn’t take part.
A win against the Wallabies in Melbourne would make it three from three for Ian Foster’s side in this year’s shortened version of the competition.
Four trophies in four consecutive years? That record doesn’t sound like it belongs to a team and head coach who have been questioned heavily in recent years. But it doesn’t tell the full story.
The All Blacks have had some jarring lows under Ian Foster since he took over in 2020. Chief among them was last summer’s stinging series defeat to Ireland in New Zealand, the first of its kind. Andy Farrell’s Irish team were brilliant, but the reality is that the All Blacks were not at the level we had come to expect.
They won the first Test but benefited from many strokes of luck in that opener. The sense remained that Ireland were the better team and it showed in the second and third Tests. New Zealand’s response to that humbling on home soil was savage.
Two of Foster’s assistants were jettisoned, with forwards John Plumtree and attack coach Brad Mooar walking the plank. Head coach Foster just about held onto his job despite huge pressure from the public and internally from New Zealand Rugby. They didn’t sack him, but they did line up Scott Robertson to take over after this World Cup. Knowing the game was up, Foster didn’t even bother re-applying for the gig and he made his distaste for the entire process known.
In came the highly-regarded Jason Ryan, who had driven the Crusaders forwards to spectacular heights. As importantly, former Ireland boss Joe Schmidt formally joined the All Blacks full-time in the wake of last year’s series. He had been lined up before it and ended up doing some coaching during the series, but Schmidt got his hands on the All Blacks to a much greater extent after they’d lost to Farrell’s men.
Originally, Schmidt had signed up as an ‘independent selector’ for the Kiwis but after the debacle against Ireland, his role was expanded. He’s now running their attack in conjunction with Foster and has a big influence over everything they do.
To watch Schmidt prowling in the coaches’ box during the recent wins over Argentina and South Africa was to be reminded of the intensity he brings to coaching. The rugby the All Blacks are playing also bears the hallmarks of Schmidt’s work.
Against Ireland last year, the Kiwis’ attack was often a disorganised mess that actually limited the players’ individual creativity and power. Now, there appears to be total clarity to what New Zealand are doing. They’ve got precise, aligned, and simple plans that allow the undoubtedly brilliant players in their team to express themselves.
Against the Springboks two weekends ago, the Kiwis also brought a sensational kicking plan to the party. They dominated the aerial battle – clearly catching the South Africans off guard by repeatedly launching contestable kicks and regaining them – but also cut them open with clever, accurate cross-kicks and chips in behind.
The Kiwi breakdown work has improved vastly, with intent and bite to their clearout, and we know how much emphasis Schmidt has always placed on that part of the game.
Before we go too far in crediting Schmidt, it’s worth underlining that Ryan has had an immense impact on the forwards. Having overseen the introduction of new frontline prop pair Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax [who should have been unleashed earlier anyway], Ryan has brought more order to the New Zealand forwards.
Experienced men like Codie Taylor, Brodie Retallick, and Sam Cane have tuned up their performances, while the likes of Scott Barrett and Shannon Frizzell look like they’re approaching career-best form. Ardie Savea has been as relentless as ever.
With New Zealand’s maul in fine shape with and without the ball, their lineout ticking over nicely, their restarts improved, and that breakdown operating with a ruthless and at times violent edge, Ryan deserves as much praise as anyone.
And while his era in charge could yet end in disappointment, Foster must be pleased that things are looking positive after the shitshow last year. The All Blacks are currently on a nine-game unbeaten streak. Anticipation continues to build for their World Cup opener against hosts France on 8 September.
Foster, Schmidt, and Ryan have found balance in their first-choice team, with Jordie Barrett’s move to inside centre crucial. Beauden Barrett looks happier at fullback and Richie Mo’unga is clearly determined to end all debate about the number 10 shirt.
It would be a tale of redemption for New Zealand to win this World Cup, not just for Foster and his players. Schmidt has bad memories at this tournament, albeit with Ireland.
In 2015, they were shorn of the spine of the team before a quarter-final defeat to Argentina. That game is unfairly put into the bracket of Irish World Cup chokes but had any team lost players as important to them as Jared Payne, Johnny Sexton, Paul O’Connell, Sean O’Brien, and Peter O’Mahony, they’d have struggled too.
In 2019, Ireland were hammered by New Zealand in the quarter-finals after a miserable campaign. It was the endpoint of a year of decline for Schmidt’s team and meant his otherwise hugely successful spell in Irish rugby finished on a deflating bum note.
Schmidt had a Grand Slam, two other Six Nations titles, a World Rugby coach of the year award – as well as two Heineken Cups, a Pro 12, and a Challenge Cup with Leinster – to his name, so really shouldn’t have been bothered what people thought, but it must have hurt to see his name and approach to rugby disparaged.
Though he said he was retiring from rugby after that, we all knew he would be back.
“I tried,” said Schmidt about retirement when he was in Dublin last autumn.
Consulting with Spain, a gig with World Rugby, assistant coach with the Blues – all roads led to a rather obvious alliance with the All Blacks, who could meet Ireland in the quarter-finals in France.
Working with New Zealand is a totally different chapter for Schmidt but he would be entitled to feel vindicated if he could help drive them to their fourth World Cup title.
