Incoming All Blacks forward coach Jason Ryan has targeted improved maul defence as an immediate must fix area for the under pressure team ahead of the Rugby Championship.
Ryan joined the All Blacks from Crusaders, where his work on stopping mauls was the best in the business.
He faced the media for the first time as an ABs assistant on Tuesday after being named to replace John Plumtree, sacked alongside Brad Mooar by head coach Ian Foster.
“The All Blacks pack has been dented, it really has been, and the jersey,” a forthright Ryan told reporters.
Ryan has worked under Scott Robertson at the Crusaders for an extremely successful six years and was also Fiji’s assistant coach during the recent Pacific Nations Cup.
Asked what he needed to change in the current All Blacks performance, Ryan said: “We’ve got to stop mauls, that’s for sure, so there’s a little bit of work that needs to go into that and our contact area.”
The All Blacks conceded two maul tries against the Irish in the third Test of the 2-1 series loss.
Ryan said he had already started to work with the players on that area.
Jason Ryan (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
“We’ve done a lot of work on the mauling stuff obviously and we’ve done a bit on the contact area. Just getting them to really understand what they’re trying to achieve and what they’re really trying to believe in has been the big one.
“I honestly can’t wait. There’s no better environment or country or team to test yourself as a forwards coach but in all honesty it’s about the boys – it’s about the All Blacks and where this team is at and where the forward pack is at. We’ve got to be fast learners pretty quickly.”
Asked why he decided to leave the Crusaders for the All Blacks at a time when the national team is struggling he replied: “I’ll answer that really clearly. It’s a chance to coach my country and it was a dream to always be an All Blacks forwards coach. I can’t wait to get into it.”
He said Robertson had been supportive of him making the step up.
“I’m a loyal person, so initially it was. I care a lot – he’s done a lot for me – but as I said he was really supportive and that’s all I wanted.”
Prop out of tour
All Blacks prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi has withdrawn from the team’s Rugby Championship matches in South Africa because of a neck injury, New Zealand head coach Ian Foster confirmed Tuesday.
Tu’ungafasi, 30, picked up the knock during the third Test loss to Ireland in Wellington, which saw the All Blacks suffer a first home series defeat since 1994.
He will sit out New Zealand’s Test matches in South Africa on August 7 in Mbombela and a week later in Johannesburg, with the All Blacks under pressure against the world champions after losing four of their last five games.
It is hoped Tu’ungafasi will recover in time to join the squad for their home Tests against Argentina on August 27 in Christchurch and a week later in Hamilton.
Tu’ungafasi has been replaced in the All Blacks squad by 22-year-old uncapped Crusaders prop Fletcher Newell for the tour of South Africa.
Foster has complete backing
Richie Mo’unga says the All Blacks want to make a “statement” and show the world what they are capable of whejn they face South Africa.
“We’re looking forward to the opportunity to right a few wrongs and to be better because we know we’re capable. We need to make a statement about who we are as All Blacks,” Mo’unga said.
And the flyhalf has given total backing to Ian Foster, who said earlier this week the players supported him.
“Fossy is the man for the job. 100 per cent big Fossy,” he said.
“I think now he’ll have a more hands-on role with with the backs and with attack.
“I’ve had that taste early on in my All Blacks career (when Foster was an assistant) and I was able to gain so much knowledge and had ‘wow’ moments out in the field when he was coaching.
“It’s good to see that happen again the last couple of days.”
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Dagg says league dominating union
Former All Black Israel Dagg says rugby league is “absolutely dominating” rugby union.
“If I’m going to be completely honest it’s not entertaining. There’s no real entertainment factor to Super Rugby,” Dagg said on The42 Rugby Weekly Extra podcast.
“We’ve got a real situation now where rugby league and rugby union are competing, and rugby league is absolutely dominating.
“I don’t know if you saw the State of Origin the other day, New South Wales vs Queensland. But (it was) probably the game of a century.
“If you want to go watch sport for entertainment, you go watch league at the moment. They’re ticking all the boxes. “
Tim J
Roar Rookie
That does not take much to be honest.. :laughing:
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
mate - still more believable than what the US Govt came up with
Tim J
Roar Rookie
Cheers for that, classic. :thumbup:
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/994660-gawker-media
Tim J
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :thumbup: :thumbup:
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
“To all my little Hulkamaniacs, say your prayers, take your vitamins, and you will never go wrong.” “Negativity and Hulkamania - 2 things that don't go together.”
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
and remember - professional wrestling is real))
Tim J
Roar Rookie
Typical look like Hulk Hogan, as your profile pic.. :stoked: :thumbup:
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
plus they had better moustaches and a set of lamb chops for sideburns back then - no man buns like today!
Tim J
Roar Rookie
It was much simpler then Kent, and the forwards would sort out the dark arts between themselves.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
I agree Kent, it could have gone either way. It is what Origin is all about. :thumbup:
thebleedingobvious
Roar Rookie
The thing about League is it had a 70 year head start on Union in going professional and managed to grow...nowhere. Not a significant World cup, not in the Olympics, nor Comm games, no significant 7's world circuit equivalent. The money flows to Rugby in a significantly larger way and the eyeballs and the world wide growth. So what's all that about?
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
because there's no longer any striking for the ball in the "play the ball" all a defending team can hope to gain possession is either a 1 on 1 strip, or wait for the kick at the end of the 6 tackles. at least with rugger every tackle there's a chance to change possession
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
why did we not have these problems back in the 70's?
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
ask Brian Moore - he has opinions on pretty much everything. and as a former hooker he'd probably have a better idea on the dark arts of the front row
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
yeah but Origin 3 was a hum dinger of a game
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
What's treachery got to do with it Jacko?? It's this utterly incompetent coach, along with those arrogant idiots we have in place at the NZRFU, that mostly every ones, against. I too support our players, but not the ones that are idiotically & wrongfully selected, at the expense of ones that most know should be there. Bro, we the AB fans, are not that stupid, to know, what we do have, & what we don't. With this crap, going on, the creditability, of those mentioned is gong further down the gurgler by the day. Just recently, Shag, has come out, saying the NZRFU, should be doing it's job, as what's in place, & whats happening, is unacceptable.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Yep I agree with what Razor is doing, as now we have Shag coming out, giving these incompetent idiots at the NZRFU a serving, for not doing their jobs, & rightly so. On the Bokke, I wouldn't say they were ' bad travellers ', as remember they won a series, & were the first, to do so, in Aotearoa, in 37. They've also won two of their, three, RWC's away from home, & never lost a RWC final, they've been in.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
The problem is that the story feeds off itself and neither Robertson or the ABs have any say in it but it becomes a media circus and i dont think thats needed right now.
Colvin Brown
Roar Guru
And strategic injuries and water breaks