Dave Rennie highlighted the areas where the All Blacks struggled in Johannesburg, particularly acknowledging faults in their scrum performance.
"I mean, the buck stops with me in the end. I think that scrum [last week]; you have a look at that scrum, we were poor and got punished,"he explained during an online media conference.
The New Zealand coach also lamented the execution of their maul defense, emphasizing a significant tactical misread. "The maul, we competed in the middle and we’re supposed to compete at the tail on that one. The reason is, given the front, we can defend the front. But we went up in the middle and then we had no one in front of that maul once it started, and so we never recovered," said Rennie, hinting at an area needing swift improvement.
With key players like Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock absent, Rennie pointed out the lack of experienced voices that might have rectified the on-field strategies. "There’s no Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock out there who can say, ‘Oh, they’re defending a little bit differently, let’s go to this or that’," he noted. This gap underscores a pressing need to quickly cultivate skills within their emerging talents.
Rennie also voiced his concerns about the ongoing discrepancies between the All Blacks' interpretation of scrum laws and the views held by World Rugby. "We can talk about scrums, but clearly our view and the view of World Rugby and the officials is different, so you just have to deal with that," Rennie expressed, pointing out the essential need for adjustments.
In his concluding thoughts, Rennie shifted focus from the controversies surrounding scrum rulings to more pressing tactical concerns. "I just don’t want it to be the big topic. We’ve got to be better. We’ve got to be more accurate and limit the number of scrums they have," he concluded, reflecting a determination to refine their gameplay profoundly. Despite attributing significant impact to the maul that resulted in a critical score,
"That maul where they scored under the posts – that was a big moment in the game."
Rennie's strategic insights and straightforward acknowledgment of shortcomings reflect a proactive approach to leadership, as he aims to steer New Zealand back to its winning ways.
