‘100% its tough, for me, for my family’
All Blacks hooker reflects on ‘rollercoaster’ rugby season
All Blacks are invincible, right? Well, no, not quite. The reality is far removed from that perception. Away from the spotlight they experience the same, fluctuating emotions as anyone.
Just ask Codie Taylor. The Crusaders hooker has played 74 tests, featuring in the 2015 World Cup success and increasing in prominence during the countless trophies since.
Yet this year, there was one test all anyone wanted to mention to Taylor — August 27 when the All Blacks suffered their first home defeat against the Pumas in Christchurch, his adopted home city. Taylor replaced standout Chiefs hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho early in the second half, only to endure a forgettable night with this lineout throwing in the final quarter as the All Blacks collapsed to another historic defeat. With interest in the All Blacks reaching fever-pitch following head coach Ian Foster’s knife-edge endorsement through to the World Cup the previous week, mistakes in the public eye magnified.
Public feedback, particularly through social media, was swift. In the age of instant gratification many wanted Taylor’s experience immediately cast aside.
“It’s tough,” Taylor reflects with the Herald on that challenging period in Edinburgh this week.
“It’s New Zealand’s favourite sport. Every time you go out there the telescope is right on you. For me personally it has been a rollercoaster.
“One-hundred per cent it’s tough. Tough for me, tough for my family. I tend to stay away from social media these days.
“Everyone has an opinion and they’re allowed to.”
The All Blacks did right by Taylor, removing him from the next two tests to give him time to work through the fallout, work on his game, but more importantly reach a mental space where he was ready to cope with the pressures the test arena demands.
Installed to start against the Wallabies at Eden Park, Taylor did so against a backdrop of intense scrutiny. For 57 minutes that night Taylor performed his core roles with minimal fuss.
Just like that, a weight was lifted. When he started again in Cardiff last week Taylor played a leading role in a dominant set piece platform that culminated in two tries from close range.
“You can either walk away from it and try and bury yourself or stand up and deal with it. I feel like that’s the approach I’ve taken and it’s paid off,” Taylor says.
“The great thing is I had awesome support from family to mental skills coaches and our coaches backing me and working through some stuff has been a huge help.
“Having a different view on everything has led to me bringing a new lease of life and energy to be able to help this team.“Cardiff is probably the best stadium to play at, one you really have to get up for, and the boys really did that. I owe Scott [Barrett] a beer because he pushed me over the line twice.
“I was proud of the forwards for rolling their sleeves up and getting stuck in.”
There is no doubt Taukei’aho’s powerhouse presence ushers in a new dynamic for the All Blacks hookers long dominated by the Dane Coles-Taylor one two punch.
On this northern tour the Taukei’aho-Taylor and TaylorTaukei’aho punch has replaced that aforementioned familiarity from the Horowhenua-Kapiti-raised hookers.
Foster and All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan have detailed their desire to develop contrasting options, with their hooking rotation something that will continue against Scotland and England.
Having starred down adversity and proven his resilience, Taylor is relishing the internal challenge.
“Samisoni has come in and the way he has approached it he’s a pretty relaxed guy but when he gets out there he never takes a backwards step. He’s a physical man, hard to put down, and we’ve seen that this year around his ball carry and ability to impose himself.
“It’s a different dynamic. I probably don’t do as much damage with ball in hand but hopefully I can do my part in other areas. It’s good to see him go so well and it’s also good for us as a team because it makes positions so competitive.”
While Taukei’aho’s arrival is notable Ryan assuming charge of the forwards has proved transformational.
A pack exposed in successive defeats to Ireland and France at this stage last year, and in the home series loss to the Irish in July, has vastly improved their lineout, maul, scrum and breakdown.
“He’s a world-class coach,” Taylor says of his former six-year Crusaders mentor.
“The beauty of Jase is he’s always willing to learn. He’s not afraid to take things from other teams to benefit us. He’s not afraid to call us out whether you know him, like myself, or you’re from another franchise. He just wants this team to get better.
“It’s a dark art everything to do with the forwards. This squad is a bit different.
“We’ve got some young guys putting their hands up which is awesome for the whole team.”
A five-test winning run puts distance between the All Blacks and their humbling lows earlier this year. Yet now more than ever it’s imperative they maintain reinforced standards and finish what they’ve started.
Consistent performances have escaped them to this point. That must change at Murrayfield.
“Change wasn’t going to happen straight away but we’re still building. The reality is test footy is bloody hard no matter who you’re playing these days.”