Jason Ryan has taken plenty of learnings from the All Blacks’ successive defeats to the Springboks in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
New Zealand’s forward pack has come into the spotlight after the three losses to South Africa with the Boks’ scrum, maul and lineout playing a pivotal role in Rassie Erasmus’ team success.
Those are areas of the game that Ryan looks after, and Dave Rennie’s assistant says that he has learned more in the past few weeks than in several years.
All Blacks’ scrum struggles
He admits that the Springboks are the best in the world in what they do and after an honest review, the All Blacks have identified where New Zealand have to improve ahead of the Bledisloe Cup Tests against Australia.
“I looked pretty hard on myself. I’ve probably learned more in seven weeks than I have in a number of years, to be honest,” Ryan said.
“Playing the Springboks, best in the world at what they do, four Tests in a row, it is so unique, but it’s put us in a good place.”
The assistant coach did reveal that New Zealand’s scrum is one of the best in the world but concedes that the set-piece’s failures did prove costly against South Africa.
“On the scrum, you’ve got to break it down,” he explained.
“We are number three in the world for top-quality ball on our ball, the opposition ball; that’s what we’ve got to tidy up and I think it was seven penalties in total, which were big momentum shifts at crucial times.
“So, we’ll get a few more boys dialed in, and having Scooter [Scott Barrett] back in the pack and a little bit more experience, it all helps. So, we’ve been really honest about that, and we know where we’ve got to head.”
While the Springboks scrum was dominant during the RGR series, the All Blacks believed that they didn’t do so legally with head coach Rennie and his senior assistant Neil Barnes accusing the South Africans of ‘walking around’ in the set-piece.
Rennie has doubled down on his take following the conclusion of the series and a reporter couldn’t resist the opportunity to respark the discussion with Ryan.
“Jase, will your scrum be walking around, like it seems like a pretty good tactic?” the journalist said.
Ryan laughed off the suggestion, saying; “Oh, we’ll just be we’ll just be scrummaging. Thanks, James.”
Scott Barrett’s return
The All Blacks were without the services of lock Scott Barrett during the Test series against the Springboks, a player that Ryan says they sorely missed.
The 32-year-old former captain is back in the squad for the Bledisloe Cup matches and the assistant coach believes he will make a huge impact upon his return.
“He actually makes me a better coach, to be honest. He thrives on the detail, and he’s always done the work,” Ryan said.
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“He’s always really genuinely prepared every single week, and if you show him a couple of clips, usually he’s seen it, which means he’s done the work, and that challenges me and challenges the whole group, and he’s already adding to that, which is important. But when he’s at his best, his ball carry, and his lineout, attack, and defense work is exceptional.
“He’s as good as they get when he’s on.”
He added: “I think a player of that capability- he has 80-odd Tests- you do miss the experience and also the physicality. He adds both of that.
“So, it’s going to be great to have him back in there. We have given some young locks a real taste of it; we will be better for it. We have to be better for it.”