New All Black coach Graham Henry hardly waited for the ink to dry on his contract on Friday before saying there were changes coming to New Zealand rugby.
Henry stressed that while the expansive style promoted by his dumped predecessor John Mitchell would remain, more attention would be paid to improving the All Blacks’ forward power.
Mitchell was praised throughout his two years at the helm for the 15-man, fast-paced style he favoured which produced a swag of point-scoring records.
But following the All Blacks World Cup semi-final exit at the hands of Australia in Sydney last month, critics rounded on Mitchell for not having a forward pack that could dominate a game up front.
Henry, announced as the new coach Friday, agreed that some of the basics from New Zealand’s professional players were not good enough.
”We’ve got some areas in the game that we need to look at as a union. We’ve got some weaknesses in New Zealand rugby,” he said.
”I think we’ve got some difficulty at set pieces, our lineout is a bit flakey. (Also) team defence policy and other things like leadership on the field and decision-making.”
Henry said an All Blacks coach could not instil the changes himself. It needed to be addressed by all provincial coaches.
However, any suggestion that Henry may look to introduce a more English-style game plan — reliant on forward power and the boot of the flyhalf — were quickly dispatched.
He cited the playing style of Auckland, where he has been technical advisor for the past two seasons, as a good blueprint.
”It’s a matter of perfecting what you’re trying to do,” he said.
Henry, renowned for his ability to spot talent, said he had hypothetically named his own All Blacks team since the World Cup and would not have made many changes.
But he added: ”I also think there’s some very fine young players here who will knock on the door as time goes on who weren’t in Australia.”
He said he had not decided on a captain in his hypothetical team, and claimed he had never watched incumbent Reuben Thorne closely enough to determine his merits.
Blindside flanker Thorne would come in for the same treatment as any other player as his selection process unfolded next year ahead of the June tests against Argentina and England, he said.
Henry refused to be critical of the efforts of Mitchell and his assistant Robbie Deans in moulding the All Blacks’ style over the last two years.
”All I would say is that the coaches of the All Blacks over the last two years have rolled up their sleeves and done everything possible to make it work,” he said.
”I’ve been down that road before and I know what it’s like. I know how hard people work and I appreciate that.” – Sapa-AFP