Numbers don’t lie: Chiefs need McKenzie Lock Whitelock in as a coach - he's been doing it for years
The retired All Blacks lock was generous with his knowledge as a player, even with potential rivals. Paul Cully reports.
Back in 2021 in Dunedin before a test against Fiji, the All Blacks held a standard post-training media session on the paddock behind the University of Otago Oval. These sessions provide “training” video of the players for the evening news broadcasts, but they certainly don’t give any secrets away: generally the players are just throwing a few balls around, or perhaps working on a specific skill.
But, what stood out was the figure of Sam Whitelock delivering a breakdown tutorial to two players who weren’t even in the All Blacks squad.
Former Highlanders and Otago lock Josh Dickson, who had been called in to provide training cover, was one of them, and the other was Charles Elton, the former Otago loose forward.
Whitelock was showing them his body position over the ball, in a very similar stance to how he would secure the All Blacks’ quarterfinal victory over Ireland in the Rugby World Cup three years later.
Whitelock’s generosity and willingness to share his knowledge - Dickson was a Highlander after all, and a Super Rugby rival - points to his next move after he announced his retirement on Tuesday evening.
The All Blacks great would appear to be a natural coach, and he’s so close to the modern game’s trends that he could easily slip into that role as soon as he finishes up in France.
Is it too early for a specialist, lineoutfocused role at the All Blacks? Probably not, if he wants it and it doesn’t take him away from the farm and his whānau, who were a big part of his farewell message.
As soon as Whitelock’s announcement was made, the Hurricanes’ victory against the Highlanders on Saturday came to
As early as round two, Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan was openly conscious of a potential inconvenient truth hovering over his in-form side.
A month on in Super Rugby Pacific and the awkward fact around No 10 Damian McKenzie has most certainly come to bear.
The star playmaker will make his return to the side in Saturday night’s clash against Moana Pasifika in Hamilton, having sat out last Friday’s defeat to the Crusaders in Christchurch through a combination of required All Blacks rest and a niggly knee injury.
That the Chiefs became the struggling red-and-blacks’ first victims of the season only added further fuel to an already burning issue for last year’s runners-up.
Essentially, all is more than merry for the Hamilton-based franchise when McKenzie is on the park, but take him off and they seem to lose all sense of direction.
Sure, take any experienced playmaker (McKenzie will this weekend become the fifth-most-capped Chief of all-time with his 117th appearance, while he also has 47 mind. After the game, Hurricanes mentor Clark Laidlaw praised his lineout coach Bryn Evans for helping to orchestrate their excellent lineout defence - the Highlanders lost five of their own throws under pressure in Dunedin.
Evans, of course, has a bit of Whitelock about him. After a career that started for Hawke’s Bay in 2003, the 39-year-old was still still playing for the Highlanders as recently as 2022.
Since then, he has made a seamless tests to his name) out of any side and there will be negative impacts, but in the Chiefs’ case, they virtually become a completely different outfit.
The numbers don’t lie.
It was after the round-two demolition of the Brumbies in Melbourne that McMillan, delighted with what he had seen from Josh Ioane off the bench that day, referenced move into coaching, specialising in the lineout, and the Hurricanes are reaping the rewards this year, even though they don’t have any All Blacks locks.
New Zealand Rugby will surely be keen to tap into Whitelock’s vast understanding of the game, particularly as the All Blacks chart a course towards the 2027 World Cup with a relatively young group of locks.
A glowing tribute from New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson certainly sounded like a ‘see you soon’
that McKenzie magic alone wouldn’t be enough to cut it in this title tilt.
That was a week after seeing his side cough up a 27-10 lead against the Crusaders in the season opener in Hamilton, then have to fight from behind for a 33-29 win, rather than a ‘goodbye’.
“Sam has been one of the most influential players of his generation,’’ Robinson said in a statement. “His long list of accolades tell a pretty special story, but he has also made a very big impact off the field during his 14 years as an All Black.
“We wish him well in his retirement and the next phase of his life. And while he's hanging up his boots, we know he'll stay involved in rugby one way or another in the future.’’ after McKenzie had been forced off in the 43rd minute with a rib injury.
Come round five at home against the Highlanders, history essentially repeated, with the Chiefs up 28-7 when McMillan opted to sit McKenzie down in the 64th minute. The hosts had to cling on after the siren for a 28-21 win.
Then, sure enough, with McKenzie sitting out last week’s clash, came a 37-29 loss to the previously winless, injury-ravaged, though admittedly desperate, seven-time defending champions.
Rookie Josh Jacomb made a decent fist of a first start, while Ioane produced an inconsistency that is becoming more consistent in his game, but the bare numbers around McKenzie are stark.
With him on the field, the Chiefs have a combined scoreline of 166-83 (21 tries to 11) in their favour, while with him off the field, it’s 70-32 against them (10 tries to four).
McKenzie’s leadership will be another key this weekend, in a side which features captain Luke Jacobson on All Blacks rest, alongside Shaun Stevenson, as well as the non-selected Quinn Tupaea.
Rameka Poihipi will skipper the Chiefs for the first time.