The All Blacks new coaching ticket has raised the stakes for this year’s Greatest Rugby Rivalry tour, writes MARK KEOHANE.
Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane says the intrigue is not just about rankings or recent results, but the collective strength of a coaching group that signals intent and experience ahead of a full tour to South Africa.
The appointment of Dave Rennie as head coach, backed by a globally seasoned support staff, has shifted the narrative from caution to anticipation. The All Blacks are no longer rebuilding; they are recalibrating for immediate impact.
“What’s brewing is the quality of the All Blacks coaching group,” Keohane writes.
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Rennie’s track record is complemented by assistants Mike Blair and Tana Umaga, while forwards coach Jason Ryan provides continuity from previous regimes. The key addition, however, is Neil Barnes, whose influence in New Zealand rugby has long been respected.
Keohane believes Barnes completes the puzzle, adding the authority and experience that was missing.
“This will change in the next 18 months because all the talk is that he is the glue that was missing.”
UMAGA: Unbelievable to be back
The Springboks remain world No 1, but this is not a warning as much as it is a promise of what lies ahead. A full All Blacks tour, underpinned by a hardened coaching group, ensures the rivalry will rise again.
The biggest rugby story of the week was not in the URC, but in the All Blacks’ coaching box.
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