ABs will take game to next level: Mains
WHENSteve Hansen called on the All Blacks to go ‘‘bone deep’’ against Wales today it echoed this year’s narrative. The sagacious sourpuss does not always pepper public addresses with deep meaning but this has been the tour when New Zealand have plundered that fathomless talent pool. The bad news is that they may be ready to stop treading water.
As the respective national coaches prepare end-of-term reports, Laurie Mains, one of Hansen’s predecessors, warned that New Zealand are still ahead in terms of depth, fitness, selection and even genetics. He believes that New Zealand will take rugby to a new level next year and suggested that Eddie Jones’s methodology with England has a shelf life.
‘‘Eddie Jones is a clever, shrewd individual, but how long he lasts is another thing,’’ Mains said. ‘‘He is not a Steve Hansen and may have a shelf life with a team because of his nature and the way he coaches and pressurises players.’’
That sounds like old Antipodean antipathy, but Mains said the pressure on the All Blacks has different origins. ‘‘Steve Hansen has a great ability to get players to put pressure on themselves within the culture of the All Blacks. For a lot of other teams it’s created by the coach and when that is the case it has a shelf life because the players tire of it. Eddie Jones may need to reinvent himself.’’
When Luke Whitelock lines up in Cardiff today for his second cap, four years after his first, he will become the 45th player used by Hansen in 2017. Some have mentioned the number 55 but that includes what was effectively a reserves match against France. It still sounds high until you realise that England have used 44 and Australia 43.
In terms of players making their debuts, England and Australia have had a dozen each in 2017, while the All Blacks have had seven. If England’s numbers were inflated by a summer tour bereft of Lions players, the All Blacks are touring without Brodie Retallick, Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Dane Coles and Jerome Kaino.
It could be argued that England have more depth in the second row at least, and it was interesting to hear Mains, who coached New Zealand between 1992 and 1995, say that, for all the talk of unparalleled depth, Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Kieran Read and Smith are indispensable. Sam Cane is getting to that stage too; Beauden Barrett could be included but there is back-up. ‘‘We are just not as good when two or three of them are not playing,’’ Mains said.
Warren Gatland, the Wales coach, previewed today’s game by voicing his awe at the depth of All Blacks’ talent and suggesting that they could field a decent sixth team against most of the world. However, defeats by the Lions and Australia, allied to last year’s loss to Ireland and last week’s close win over Scotland, scarcely smack of rugby demigods.
‘‘They are deeper,’’ Mains said unequivocally. ‘‘For a start, club rugby in the UK does not reach the heights of Super Rugby. We have more high-impact, highvelocity players who are better prepared to step up to international rugby.’’
He also cited a peerless coaching development programme and talent ID that puts a ‘‘tag on the back’’ of any promising schoolboy. Read what you want into the Under-20 World Championship final in June, when New Zealand beat England 64-17.
‘‘The selection panel have been very good at picking players who can get up to that level and not many play half a dozen Tests and disappear,’’ Mains said. ‘‘We don’t quite have the depth at prop now and that would be the only area the selectors are still working really hard on.’’
Other nations are ‘‘catching up’’ but it is primarily in terms of fitness. The Lions and Australia will be ‘‘buoyed’’ by their successes against New Zealand, but Mains found a caveat. ‘‘They were All Blacks teams in a year when they have been flat and not at their peak. They have been in consolidation mode.’’
Good national coaches have looked at the ABs’ fitness but Mains says the secrets lie beyond the stats. ‘‘Since my time, New Zealand have kept innovating in their use of fitness trainers. Other teams are getting their selections better than two years ago – picking players for a highvelocity, skilful game – but the All Blacks coaches will have plans for another step. It’s whether other teams have got the same.’’
This year they have been affected by injuries and sabbaticals yet their old coach laughs at talk of a lost aura. ‘‘I would not agree with that at all,’’ he scoffed. ‘‘They are in the middle of a cycle between World Cups and next year they will have a lot of guys refreshed and back on deck. They are right where they need to be.’’
They are right where they need to be. LAURIE MAINS
TIMES