Mark Robinson: Number one world ranking not the focus for the All Blacks
The All Blacks relinquished the world number one ranking after losing to the Springboks on the Gold Coast but they claimed the silverware that mattered most with a seventh Rugby Championship title.
Having played for the All Blacks, and been part of the environment from 1997 to 2001, I know that holding the number one world ranking doesn’t worry All Black players too much.
The focus is instead on the process. The class of 2021 is building, developing and growing as a team of youngsters that have come through over the last few years. I don’t feel New Zealand are peaking too early two years out from the next World Cup and 2022 will prove a different story with other teams more prepared.
If Australia were to have played New Zealand again in the Rugby Championship this term, I think it would have been a completely different game and they would really have tested the All Blacks. It takes a while for a new coach at international level to get what he wants in terms of how they play.
Dave Rennie has a certain coaching style and he loves the mix of play from kicking to running. He wants the forwards to be able to mix with backs and it’s very much a New Zealand-style of rugby.
The Australian forwards’ skill levels have gone up and we are seeing them in the midfield and playing out-wide. They are looking confident enough to pass balls, shift and find space. In the backs, Quade Cooper is driving the Wallaby evolution and they have some good youth coming through which is great to see. Along with France, I think Australia will be a serious contender for the 2023 World Cup.
In terms of the All Blacks, with Ian Foster at the helm of the coaching staff he hasn’t changed much. There is a way in New Zealand when it comes to the national team that the likes of Foster and assistants John Plumtree, Scott McLeod and Brad Mooar aren’t really coaching.
It’s more about making sure that the environment is conducive to high performance and brings the best out of the players. At that level, you can’t really coach the players because they are so talented. It’s more about giving them a game plan and then the freedom to be able to play.
The players are custodians of the jersey and, as an All Black, you are taught that you need to leave it in the best place possible whenever the time comes for you to exit the Test arena. There is a mana – Maori for pride and respect – coupled with a sense of responsibility that comes with wearing the iconic All Black jersey.
I think that is where New Zealand gets it right, and Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith were amazing at communicating and bringing out the best of players by finding that extra one per cent. The All Blacks chase those one inch gains, whether from a mental or performance perspective. It’s not about changing the players but ensuring that they believe in themselves and play to their expected skillset.
Five years ago, the All Blacks boasted the world’s best in terms of players and had some young bucks coming through. Fast forward to 2021 and I think there is some phenomenal talent in the All Black team. The depth in New Zealand is incredible at the moment in terms of the players they can select.
There is plenty of youth in the All Blacks team at the moment and within two years, and at the next Rugby World Cup in France, that group is going to be very experienced. If they can retain the core of the squad and build them up to the World Cup in 2023, I predict that is when they will really start to show that leadership, development and all the investment that the coaching staff has put into them.
When it comes to the All Blacks’ half-back options beyond Aaron Smith, TJ Perenara is a fantastic player but when he started against the Springboks in Townsville I thought his passing was laboured.
When Brad Weber came on, it was noticeable how he zipped those passes out. Perenara is right on the heels of Smith in terms of his all-round game but Weber gave his teammates much more time on the ball. And when you come up against a rush defence like the Springboks’ you need those passes in hand as swiftly as possible so that the receiving player can adjust and potentially beat the defender.
In terms of current weaknesses, the All Black scrum and line-out got caught out a bit against the Springboks over the two Tests. The All Blacks are clearly missing Sam Whitelock, who is such a strong figure that controls the line-out. As far as the scrum is concerned, it’s a bit of an Achilles’ heel for the men in black.
The set-piece has traditionally proved a strength of the Kiwis so it wasn’t great seeing that against the South Africa but the coaches will address it as a work-on ahead of the year-end tour.
Mark ‘Sharky’ Robinson, who was a dual-code international for New Zealand, featured in three Tests for the All Blacks. After turning out for the Chiefs and Blues in Super Rugby, he played for Northampton Saints and Wasps in the UK. He retired in 2010 and currently lives on the Isle of Man.
Comments on RugbyPass
I certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
2 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
2 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
3 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to commentsBrett Excellent words… finally someone (other than DC) has noted that Hanigan is very hard and very good at doing what Backrow should do… his performance via the Drua sauna was quite daunting for those on the other side… very high tackle count… carries with good end result… constant threat to make a good 20-25 meters with those long legs… providing his mass effectively to crunching the Drua pack… Finally he is returning to quality form… way to much injury time over the last 2 years… smart-strong-competent in his skills… caught every lineout throw aimed at him and delivered clean pass to whoever was down below… and he worked hard for the whole 80 minutes… Ned has to be in the top 5 for backrow honors… He knows what is required as he has been there before…
20 Go to commentsI think Sam Whitelock should not touch a return with a bargepole. He went out on a high, playing in the RWC Final. He would be coming back into a team that will be weaker than last years, and might even be struggling to win games, especially against the Boks. Stay in France, enjoy another year with Pau, playing alongside his brother.
10 Go to commentsRyan Coxon has been very impressive considering he was signed by WF as injury cover whilst Uru has been a standout for QR, surprised neither of those mentioned
3 Go to comments