All Blacks legend backs Dave Rennie to revive Wallabies following World Cup disaster
All Blacks great Andrew Mehrtens believes New Zealand’s loss will be Australian rugby’s gain, declaring Dave Rennie will reinvigorate the Wallabies after more than a decade in the doldrums.
Mehrtens expects Rennie to leave no stone unturned in his quest to revive the Wallabies, even tipping the meticulous mentor to reach out to Michael Cheika for possible pointers.
Rennie, who guided the Chiefs to back-to-back Super Rugby titles in 2012-13, rejected overtures from New Zealand powerbrokers to take over from Cheika after completing his commitments with Glasgow Warriors next June.
The Season: Hamilton Boys High School – Episode 3
“That shows the integrity of the guy. He’s a Kiwi and it must be flattering to be asked to put your name in the ring for that All Blacks job,” Mehrtens told AAP.
“But he’s made his decision and already it seems like he’s pouring everything into it, to have that attitude when New Zealand came knocking.
“I’m sure they’re not delighted at the fact that a) they’re not getting to use his IP now and b) a close rival is.”
Hailing Rennie as understated – “like we like it in New Zealand” – with street smarts, Mehrtens believes the new coach’s pragmatic approach will be the perfect fit for the Wallabies.
A former England and British and Irish Lions star has compared succeeding Steve Hansen at the @AllBlacks to Manchester United trying to maintain success after the exit of Sir Alex Ferguson. #AllBlacks https://t.co/47BgsCBFjH
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 25, 2019
“Coaching is so much about man management and helping the players develop and far less these days than the actual technical coaching side,” he said.
“For the last 15 years or so the focus of Australia’s last few coaches has been very much off the mark,” he said.
“A lot of the focus, whether it be skills coaching or club coaching, has been around whiteboards – dividing the field up, a very methodical approach and a very strict approach.
“That takes away from the players’ ability to make decisions on the field and to behold the game themselves, which they need to be able to do.
“And that will take some time to turn that around and change that.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5RjyM6gi5h/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Rennie, though, is keen to hit the ground running.
Hence why Mehrtens suspects Rennie won’t be afraid to listen to Cheika.
“I have very little doubt they will be trying to catch up at some point. I’m sure ‘Cheik’ will want the best for Australian rugby and the Wallabies enough to give ‘Renns’ the benefit of his experience of the last four years,” Mehrtens said.
“And I’m sure Renns is a big enough guy to say ‘look, I’m new coming in to this environment, I might know a lot of the players; I’ve watched them over time with Super Rugby or whatever but I want to learn as much as I can about the internal workings as well’.
“It will probably be in a dark room somewhere over a beer but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if we saw that sooner rather than later.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Cheik went over to Scotland and caught up with him.”
AAP
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
And they came from behind to win two big games before the final. No one can say what would have happened. Had the boks gone behind the game plan changes and the result may changes. Ifs and ands are irrelevant. The boks won. Neutral critics enjoyed the games they played. Its not a popularity contest. Get over it and move on.
82 Go to commentsI'm happy for the people of SA to get a second WC. And I mean that. I was very disappointed with this man's “stand on the hand” incident with Josh Van Der Flyer (Ireland). Ireland's downfall in the last WC was they did not rotate their first 15 as the head coach probably should have. That said, I'm happy for SA and genuinely hope it lifts the mood in their country. Ireland did beat them in the first match of the tournament. And before the trolls start trolling ….. please don't bother. Etzbeth said recently that the Irish players said after the match “see you in the final”…..this was actually wishing the SA team the best of luck in the rest, the Irish team were not dismissing the AB’s. This is what Etzbeth was implying. But he was wrong. I no longer live in Ireland. But I hope to see them lift that cup before I pass. Anyway, congratulations SA. 👍
12 Go to commentsMore bloody click bait. Dan Carter has said absolutely nothing. As he should do. Poor journalism again from a site that should know better
9 Go to commentsOh god please help these loosers get over it!!!! You lost. Doesn't matter how many times you dummies are gonna analyse the game, you still lost and we are still Rygby World Champions….get over it, you lost.
82 Go to commentsThe next Willie le Roux. SA are made not to use him.
2 Go to commentsDan has always been as controversial as tea with milk so we were never going to get any definitive answer. So DMac for the win.
9 Go to commentsGoodness. When are the All Blacks and New Zealand commentators going to stop complaining about how they could have won and just try to win next time 😂. In South Africa if you lose you get up and try again. Get over it.
82 Go to commentsHonestly, it doesn’t matter a whole lot. RSA has a ton of experienced talent in its leadership group. I am more interested in who is the new 8 man/8 men and the younger props. The captain may change but the system does not
1 Go to comments“See you in the final” can mean whatever you want it to mean. To me it means that 12 Irish rugby players are a bunch of poeses. See y’all in Pretoria.
131 Go to commentsBen, you are one of the most arrogant and self opionated rugby critics I have ever come across (next to Keohane). I hoped that after SA beating the best ranked teams in the world on their way to the WC (something not done before) that you might have the grace to admit that this is a special team that deserved the accolades coming their way. You have no humility and as has been been already pointed out, merely a troll to attract audience numbers. Count me out in the future.
82 Go to comments‘War of independence’. Such a grand name for a few skirmishes. Where were all the great battles of this ‘war’ ? Smith got goosebumps as he was being emotionally manipulated, another mushroom.
1 Go to commentsFor all those disputing the veracity of Etzebeth’s very public recollections of the Irish players’ comments, I have one question: should we be holding our collective breath in anticipation of a barrage of strenuous denials from the Irish squad? Then again, perhaps not…
131 Go to comments> If the game of rugby is to grow globally, then the rugby Sth Africa play needs to be exterminated. Their performances at World Cup ‘19 & ‘23 were the antithesis to what the game should be. If the World Cup final is the grand spectacle of the game, please no more having to endure the drudgery and insipid ‘style ‘ of play harking back to pre WWII days, where the soulless rugby of the Bok reflected the mindset of a nation. > Gotta agree with Ben Smith, “ the Springboks took the trophy by default, with what might be the most unimpressive escape of all time “.
82 Go to commentsI think Rassie should bring in some new guys and give them a go in these irrelevant games. It’s a chance to blood some guys that might otherwise not get a chance and see if they’re up to it. As for the who’s number 1 dispute? Don’t care. As long as the trophies are brought home, that argument isn’t important. Champions don’t fuss about the could’ve, would’ve, should’ve. They just do, and that for me makes SA and NZ the top dogs. Followed by Ireland and occasionally England.
225 Go to commentsThis is like the “catches win matches" saying in cricket. If ABs were pragmatic and kicked for goal instead of hunting tries, I reckon they win that game with ease. Instead, nearly 6 months later; we have World Rugby's official mouthpiece celebrating their Almost Won the Rugby World Cup trophy. Fine Victory Gentleman! Well-earned!!
82 Go to comments“…the All Blacks nearly won…” is the only phrase you need to concern yourself with relative to this “journalistic” piece. Enjoy your Almost Won the World Cup victory…
82 Go to commentsAw common. Stop winging. There were no errors by officials. It is all recorded. Whose fault was the Cane red card? Or the Savea knock? Maybe the selectors who insisted on making a very average player their captain should be blamed. Something had to give way.
82 Go to commentsThe latest ‘Ireland are arrogant’ attack from one of the two most arrogant rugby nations on earth.
131 Go to commentsWaawaawaaaaaaaa
24 Go to commentsHow does this guy still have a job?
82 Go to comments