Aaron Smith reveals underrated part of Dave Rennie’s brilliance as All Blacks legend provides fascinating insight into new boss
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie and New Zealand Test centurion Aaron Smith.
All Blacks legend Aaron Smith has heaped praise on Dave Rennie and expects him to bring an attacking mindset to the team this season.
The 62-year-old has taken over from Scott Robertson, who was criticised for his conservative style, and is tasked with making them genuine challengers ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
They begin their Test campaign next month in the inaugural Nations Championship, facing France, Italy and Ireland in the mid-year Tests.
Rennie has selected a squad featuring four bolters, but in truth the most important thing for the supporters is how they play.
The former Wallabies, Glasgow Warriors and Chiefs boss is renowned for taking an expansive approach and Smith doesn’t expect him to cower when his tenure starts in earnest.
‘Stern coach’ and ‘great motivator’
“The thing with Rens is his really attacking mindset kind of footy. He promotes your players to express yourselves, see space and push the boundaries of wherever you are, you can attack if the option’s on, but don’t half-pie it,” he told Sport Nation.
“That was one thing I always loved about it; if you’re going to go, go and really commit. He’s a stern coach, he’s a great motivator and he had a way of talking to each player on a level that I found unique.
“He liked a stern word and then he was pretty good at giving you a rub on the back. He just makes you feel really good about your game.
“He’s really clear in feedback. I didn’t notice until I was a bit older how clear it was where I stood in the team because he was so open and transparent about my game and where I was at.
“I think as a player that’s always good to know – just straight and direct around what he likes and what he doesn’t like.”
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Smith was coached by Rennie early in his career while playing for New Zealand’s U20 side and Manawatu in the NPC.
He has also been on the receiving end of the new All Blacks head coach’s brilliance while playing for the Highlanders against his Chiefs outfit and more recently in Japan.
The scrum-half has been playing for Toyota Verblitz since the conclusion of the 2023 Rugby World Cup and he saw Rennie’s Kobelco Kobe Steelers claim the title recently.
Rennie’s attacking mindset
“The way rugby is now, it’s such a defensive and positional game, and it’s really tactical. I remember my early days of rugby, we would do about 20 per cent ‘D’ and the rest was attack,” Smith said.
“Now it’s almost the other way, about 60-40 including kick strategy, and it’s just gone so far that way because defences are so hard to break down.
“I think the way rugby’s going, and I was one on the end of two pretty decent beatings from Kobe this season, seeing that type of rugby of short passes, high tempo and KBA – keeping the ball alive – it’s really hard to defend.
“Any momentum they got they would go through the same area and keep hammering at it. It’s really hard to stop and I think he’s going to really promote players to keep up and wherever the space is in front of them, just keep smashing into it.”
Smith also believes that there is an underrated part of Rennie’s coaching which could give a real edge to the All Blacks squad.
“One of Rens’ big things and it doesn’t get talked about enough is probably his mindset at ruck time,” he added.
“He’s got a real thing of anything near the ruck, it’s got to be hit, gone or just hit it if you even think you can hit it.
“I remember being out the back of some of those Chiefs rucks and I wasn’t really near it, but I was close enough… and bang! That was the one game I didn’t hang too close to the rucks.
“If you play his types of teams, he’s going to have a real attacking mindset but if you want to put your head on the ball, you’ve got to bite the mouthguard.”
