Stephen Donald has predicted that Dave Rennie will revolutionise the All Blacks following the previous regime’s more conservative approach.
The 62-year-old has taken over from the sacked Scott Robertson, whose side was criticised for its style of play.
Rennie named his assistants on Tuesday with Scotsman Mike Blair picked as the country’s new attack coach.
It is a departure from previous New Zealand coaching teams with the new head honcho opting to bring in someone from abroad.
All Blacks brains trust
Blair, alongside the All Blacks boss, will now look at the best way of creating a functioning attack when their Test season starts in July.
“The easiest way to break it down, and I might be sounding a bit too simplistic, is there are two trains of thought,” Donald said on the Aftermatch with Kirst and Beav.
“You either subscribe to the letter of the law as far as the amount of phases and where you need to be with that jersey on your back; what you’re going to be doing there and who’s going to be carrying and who’s going to be cleaning.
“Some teams, this goes to the nth degree, five or six phases post the set-piece or post receiving the ball.
“Then there are some that are a little bit closer to where we traditionally probably see New Zealand teams. There might be a zone you’re going to attack in first, then maybe a direction you go off and then within the structures, you’re going to trust the boys’ instincts, trust what they see and that will dictate the next decision. I would imagine somewhere in between that.”
The attack was a big issue under Robertson and Donald reckons that there will be a significant change in style with Rennie at the helm.
Less kicking off turnovers
“Will it be massive change? I honestly do expect us to change, I expect us to change significantly under this regime with their endeavour to play,” he said.
“It’s not going to be helter-skelter but I just think the attitude to play. I don’t foresee us kicking turnover ball where you have in the past.
“The last two years, the amount of time we’ve got turnover ball and I’ve seen some of our absolute superstars with ball in hand instantly kick it, I can’t see that happening in the Dave Rennie regime.
“I still think Rens will have a significant [influence], and it may even be his portfolio within the attack structure that he has turnover ball, counter-attack, which in the modern day is a huge part of the attack play.
“Mike Blair probably has a lot of control over the strikes – what the backs do off a lineout or scrum.”
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