Seven Tests in, and no witch hunt
Three defeats on the bounce will usually start something in New Zealand. Sir John Kirwan went on the Rivals podcast this morning to say it should not, and he did not hedge. Asked whether losing the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series might have New Zealand Rugby second-guessing the March call to replace Scott Robertson, the former winger shut it down.
“Everyone, including the players, is happy. There is a direction in this team that we all believe in,” he said. “I think the general public believes in Dave Rennie, I think the players believe in Dave Rennie.”
The ledger is uglier than the mood. A win in Johannesburg in the opener, then three straight losses and a 3-1 series defeat. Seven Tests in the job, total.
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The Springboks have been here before, and it shows
Kirwan is not aiming at the coaching box. He is aiming at the caps column.
“I don’t think this is a coaching issue. What is incredible about this South Africa side is that it has been in situations like Saturday’s for three or four years and knows how to handle that pressure,” he said. “Two or three of our guys made mistakes under that pressure, and they’ll learn from it.”
Selection is a separate argument. Should Rieko Ioane have started on the left wing instead of waiting on the bench? Kirwan floats it and leaves it hanging. What he keeps coming back to is that the All Blacks are playing rugby they have not played since the 2023 World Cup.
Fix the second row first
One demand, and it is narrow: pick a lock pairing and stop moving it.
“The best teams have combinations. Their nine and 10, their four and five, and outstanding back rows,” he argued. Josh Lord and Fabian Holland are the two he wants nailed down for the next 12 months.
The calendar is not generous. Bledisloe Cup against the Wallabies, then the Nations Championship tour north with Wales, Scotland and England waiting. Kirwan wants a settled 23 by the time the November window shuts.
“We need to keep winning so the pressure goes away and Dave can stay calm in his job.” The backing is real. Read that sentence again and it is also conditional.
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