All Blacks turn to coaching legend to solve the worrying problem which is stumping Scott Robertson

Colin Newboult
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson and the great Wayne Smith (inset).

All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson and the great Wayne Smith.

The great Wayne Smith has joined the All Blacks camp ahead of Bledisloe II as they attempt to rectify the issues which have hampered them this year.

One thing on the agenda for New Zealand this week is to solve their Wellington hoodoo having just won one of their past seven matches in the capital.

However, the main bugbear for Scott Robertson’s men is their second-half woes, which have plagued them under the new head coach.

They have yet to outscore their opponents after the break in all five Rugby Championship matches, with the latest frustration coming against the Wallabies.

Fast start

The All Blacks raced into a 21-0 lead after 15 minutes but they failed to maintain that intensity and tempo, and almost succumbed to a shock defeat.

Robertson’s side eventually held on but it continued a theme in 2024 for the three-time world champions.

Smith, who has a position with New Zealand Rugby to help the head coach when required, has therefore been enlisted prior to the reverse fixture with Australia.

“It’s been awesome,” coach Jason Holland told reporters. “Smithy came in late last night and he’s [acting] as a fly on the wall and I’m picking his brain, everyone is picking his brain, on all the little things he’s seen.

“He claims he doesn’t watch too much footy any more living over in the Gold Coast but from all the little bits he’s given you, he’s all over it.”

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Known as ‘The Professor’, Smith is regarded as having one of the great rugby minds having been a key part of All Blacks rugby for over a decade.

He was in Graham Henry’s and Steve Hansen’s backroom teams that won the World Cup in 2011 and 2015 before he took the Black Ferns to global tournament success in 2022.

‘Big influence on us’

“I haven’t had too much to do with Wayne in the past but he’s got a great record that speaks for itself,” back three star Will Jordan said.

“Everyone you talk to in this game has a huge amount of respect for him and what he’s done. I shook his hand and said G’day this morning.

“It will be nice to pick his brain. He’s a great man to have working behind the scenes with the coaches and players. No doubt he’ll have a big influence on us.”

While the All Blacks will look to rectify their Wellington record, they also have added motivation with Sam Cane and TJ Perenara set to play their final Tests on New Zealand soil.

It will be particularly emotional for Perenara, who has become one of the Hurricanes’ favourites having played at Sky Stadium for the majority of the past 14 years.

“We talk about Wellington but there’s another couple of reasons with those boys running out,” Holland said. “We need to take the opportunity.”

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