Sam Whitelock's incredible All Blacks evolution
The evolution of Sam Whitelock takes on many forms.
New Zealand’s most capped lock has captured three Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders, two World Cup winner’s medals and now seeks to add a third in Japan.
It would seem Whitelock has ticked every box possible but this is a man who knows where he started, how he got here, and the value of never getting carried away.
One of three members of the All Blacks attending his third World Cup – Kieran Read and Sonny Bill Williams the others – Whitelock remembers playing his first nine tests off the bench in 2010.
Back then, when Brad Thorn held the second-row together, the Feilding High School product was much slimmer, weighing around 106kg.
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“That’s probably the best thing that could have happened to me because I probably wasn’t ready or good enough to start,” Whitelock tells the Herald as the All Blacks prepare for their second World Cup match against Canada in Oita next week. “I needed to put on some more muscle and strength so I could actually look after myself out there.”
To cope with the rigorous tight-five demands Whitelock’s weight-gain programme gradually bulked him up to the point he once tipped the scales at 122kg. He now sits around 120kg.
“It’s a fair bit of weight I’ve put on over the years. That’s the biggest thing I’ve changed individually. That allows me to put up with the challenges of test match rugby week in, week out.
“For the first couple of years it was pretty hard because you don’t want to just go and put on 10kgs because your game will suffer massively.
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“I was pretty much told to eat as much as I can and go back for more and keep doing it.
“After a while they say you can’t keep doing that because you’ll put on too much. That was my path. Some other guys arrive and have to lose a bit of weight so it’s completely different.
“It is interesting talking to someone who wants to eat more but knows they shouldn’t compared to someone who is told to eat more but they’re full.”
When any All Black is first selected the initial induction is focused on making sure they feel as comfortable as possible to minimise overwhelming anxieties.
It’s hard to believe now, after almost a decade in the black jersey and with Whitelock earmarked to succeed All Blacks captain Read next year, but he remembers this period well.
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“The longer you are around, the more is asked of you. The first thing you are ever told as an All Blacks is to go out there and worry about yourself and you have to play well. That’s the start, and it’s actually really easy to just worry about yourself. As you grow, evolve and get better your priorities are the same but there’s other things added on.”
Aside from morphing into an influential leader with the Crusaders and All Blacks, the other part of the equation involves following the game’s trends and ever-changing tactics.
These days it’s not enough for an elite lock to simply win their lineouts, restarts and clean rucks. All Blacks second-rowers are expected to use deft, soft hands at the line, get up off their feet and make repeat tackles and run in open field like outside backs.
More than any personal records or public accolades, this constant quest to adapt continues to motivate Whitelock, who recently signed a new four-year deal.
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“The way the game has developed has been an awesome challenge. Teams change from an expansive game to a more confrontational, tighter game. Some teams change year-to-year, some change game-to-game.
“That’s one of the reasons I still enjoy my rugby because you don’t know what you’re going to get. You don’t know how the coaches and management want us to play. That’s the variety that keeps me wanting to be here.
“Numbers are just numbers you can manipulate anything to make something sound good. I know I want to prove to myself and my family that I’m good enough to be out there. Every week it’s different challenges.
“The biggest thing I’ve learnt so far in my career is not getting obsessed with a goal or something that potentially might be someone’s opinion. As long as you’re getting better each time that’s the main thing you can do.”
The variety Whitelock notes in the All Blacks game has arguably never been more important. Over the past two years, as line-speed defensive systems dominate, the All Blacks have been forced to overhaul their strategies, particularly from an attacking sense.
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While much is made of the dual playmakers they now favour their forward pod systems and how they attempt to split and stretch the opposition defence has also changed complexion.
“Looking at the head coaching role it’s probably one of the hardest jobs anyone could have because you’re expected to win every game by as many points as you can but you’re also expected to develop individuals and the team.
“We’re the same as players. We’re always trying to be better each week and sometimes it takes time. We’re pretty happy with where we sit at the moment but we know we’ve got to improve all the time.
“As good as all our fans are, they have awesome standards that they expect from us and that matches with our standards as well.
“If you didn’t know there was an expectation being an All Black in New Zealand before you become an All Black, you’d have to be asked what you thought you were getting yourself in to.”
After being nurtured into the All Blacks initially, Whitelock has since started 94 of his 113 tests, testament to the 30-year-old’s durability.
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He is never happy watching but, having been forced to sit out the first five matches of the Crusaders season, he arrives at this critical juncture mentally and physically refreshed.
“It was really hard not to play when I was ready to go but that’s really set me up to be in a good spot now. I’m not getting to this stage being injured, tired or any of those things so it’s worked out really well.”
As this tournament progresses, before he enjoys a sabbatical stint with the Panasonic club in Japan next year, Whitelock’s experience will be leaned on heavily.
“When I retire and reflect I’ll sit back with a smile on my face. At the moment it seems pretty surreal. When stories come up about 2011 and you go to reminisce you realise these people weren’t there.
“That’s when it probably hits home a bit more.
“It’s pretty cool to say you’ve been involved in them but the big thing now is making sure we perform in this one. We’re one game in and we’ve got a 10 day wait at the moment but it’s then going to happen very quickly.
“There’s something about the World Cup that’s very special.
“You worry about where you’re having influence whether it’s your personal mindset, your team, team-mates rather than getting caught up in the whole World Cup atmosphere.”
Such wisdom has been gleaned during the evolution of a lock that sits among the greatest New Zealand has produced.
This article first appeared in nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Big difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to comments