Whatever it Takes
IN THE LAST EDITION of NZ Rugby World I sent Santa a list of five things I hoped he would bring me for Christmas to make world rugby more attractive; ranging from the RFU winning back control of their own destiny, to Argentina continuing their progress back into the world’s top six and Sanzaar waking up to welcoming the Pacific Islands into their stagnating Super Rugby tournament.
There’s still time to send another list to Santa. This one more parochial, and focused solely on what I wish for the All Blacks for 2020.
1) I hoped we would have beaten Ireland. A tough ask given Joe Schmidt’s innovative, yet disciplined coaching approach, Johnny Sexton’s authority, confidence and experience in Northern Hemisphere conditions at 10, their blend of youth and experience, and their hunger, belief and recent fine form.
Add to this home advantage and everything is in place for the decider – number 1 against number 2. All to play for.
Ireland were without Conor Murray and Rob Henshaw. Both highly influential.
The All Blacks were without Sam Cane and Sonny Bill Williams – equally influential.
Both teams won ugly the previous week. Both teams have peaked for this one.
Come on Santa. I’ve been good all year. Why not an All Black win?
2) I spent a day last week at the Manchester City Academy with academy head Jason Wilcox and ex England coach Brian Ashton.
What a facility. What a set up. The best in the world. (If you haven’t seen it already, watch Amazon Prime’s All or Nothing series on Manchester City’s last season – the Academy staff have all studied the series on the All Blacks.)
One of the things that struck me is how the entire club is being coached in the same way. The Under 11s play exactly the same style, the same disciplines, the same values as the First XI, and that’s the same at every age group level.
The training pitches are marked in the zones that head coach Pep Guardiola believes in and everyone is drilled on the dos and don’ts for each of eight zones – and then urged to enjoy freedom within that framework.
Skill levels are relentlessly worked upon with mantras such as the Five Second Rule (when you lose the ball you react, recover, regain – the ball – in five seconds).
I wish our up and coming All Blacks coaches could spend a few days with the coaches at the City Academy.
If you want to see what I mean, watch the last goal City scored versus local rivals Manchester United in the 3-1 victory at the Etihad on November 11: 44 passes, all outfield City players touched the ball, no United player came near – GOAL. Peak Flow. Unstoppable. And Beautiful.
3) Please give us dry conditions for the semi-final and final days in Japan next year. Temperatures will be perfect, around 13 degrees - and it’s probably 50-50 wet/dry chances.
There was much talk and ballyhoo in the English media about them being robbed at Twickenham by the offside call (they weren’t; it was offside; and there was still time for the All Blacks to come back and score anyway), but there was no mention of the weather.
Conditions were appalling. Non-stop heavy, pouring rain meant it was difficult for either side to find continuity at pace – with players slipping and sliding and the ball a greasy bar of soap. Both teams adapted well to these conditions – indeed Beauden Barrett outplayed Owen Farrell and looked like a world class Northern Hemisphere 10, even dropping a decisive goal – but there’s no doubt these conditions suited England’s game more than they did the All Blacks.
On a dry day I believe the All Blacks gameplan is hard to combat.
4) Please continue to grace the NZR board, the coaches and our leading players with the wisdom and belief that keeping our players playing and available in New Zealand is job number one.
Nothing is more important to our success than central contracts and the belief in winning the world from the edge.
Since 1995 NZR has led the world in player loyalty and has resisted Packer, league and professional leagues in the UK and France. Financial pressures are increasing and I hope:
a) Our Government will recognise that the All Blacks are New Zealand’s most recognisable export, most recognisable brand and most powerful ‘visiting card’ for NZ trade – and will therefore support NZR financially.
b) NZR endorse and support the sabbatical approach – if it applies to Japan – and potentially – the USA. Our players can go away, enjoy a break, change of lifestyle and recover and rehab, physically and mentally. I hope they keep the UK and France options for those who can’t make it or for those whose international careers have come to an end.
5) And finally I hope our rivals continue to improve so that RWC 2019 is a blockbuster for the world to enjoy and participate in.
At this stage it looks as though the All Blacks and Ireland are on track, England are recovering, South Africa are developing, Wales and Scotland are more competitive than people might think, Argentina can beat almost anyone on their day and Australia and France cannot continue being so poor – they will come good. Keep on keeping on everyone!
Happy New Year.