Former All Black questions ‘copycatting’ approach amid All Blacks identity shift

Current Sky Sport commentator and analyst Stephen Donald has provided insight into what game plan a Dave Rennie-coached All Blacks team may employ, compared to Scott Robertson’s two years at the helm.

Robertson left the head coaching role with the All Blacks on January 15, before Rennie was appointed as the former head honcho’s successor on March 4, 2026.

It’s now been over a month since the wider coaching group of Neil Barnes, Jason Ryan, Mike Blair, and Tana Umaga was announced, as the first squad naming of the new era approaches.

When asked about how he thinks the All Blacks will play under Rennie and the wider coaching staff, Donald refers to Sir Steve Hansen’s quotes last week on the DSPN Podcast as an indicator to some shifts they may make.

“I think we’re going to have our own style again and not just be copycatting,” the commentator said on The Aftermatch with Kirst & Beav.

“We’ve got our coach settled now. We know exactly who’s going to be helping him and I think we generally know what sort of attitude and mindset the All Blacks are going to play with. And I think it’s going to be at a higher pace and a higher speed level.

“I saw some quotes from the great Sir Steve Hansen during the week, and he was talking about how South Africa is out there at the moment, but it doesn’t mean you have to copycat everything. And he was referring to things like the bench splits and the hybrid players and all this sort of thing.

“Like we all have our different strengths as nations. So I think last year and the year before, we probably fell into thinking that that’s how you win Test rugby, and probably went away from what our boys are so gifted and talented with.

“And I just think Dave Rennie, if he brings something back to this All Blacks team, it’ll be speed and it’ll be tempo, as far as style of play.

“So when you look at how the Hurricanes are going, how the Chiefs are playing, if you can mould that with a bit of that, I guess, real street-wise smarts from the Crusaders and their tough forward pack and obviously the Blues boys in the Highlanders. I think you’re going to get a fairly good 15.”

Donald, a former World Cup-winning All Black first-five, believes that the squad depth heading into the 2026 international calendar has put Rennie and his coaching staff in a great spot.

“Yeah it’s interesting, isn’t it, because we’re starting to get to the serious part of Super Rugby Pacific, and there’s a lot of big derbies happening and the All Blacks list is long, but I think, all in all, I don’t think we’ve been in such a strong position for a long, long time,” Donald said on The Aftermatch.

“There’s always a debate at the moment, but the fact is, we’re not a bad position. We’re picking from quality and the emergence of Ruben love has added a fourth name, a genuine name, to the big three that we already have in Richie Mo’unga, Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie.

“Then the outsides again, Jordie Barrett will be locked in somewhere. I presume it’s going to be 12. So all in all, I think we’ve got so much depth that’s just sort of emerged on the back of Super Rugby in the previous campaigns with the All Blacks.”

“I think we’re in as good spot as I think anyone could have imagined. Really, I don’t see any glaring issues.”