Dave Rennie to end All Blacks trend with Bomb Squad trial: ‘We’ve got versatility’
Head coach Dave Rennie and an inset of the All Blacks huddle
Dave Rennie says that the All Blacks coaches are planning to roll out a ‘Bomb Squad’ during the tour of South Africa, after the reluctance from his predecessors.
Rassie Erasmus’ 2019 Springboks popularised the term and tactical ploy en route to winning the Rugby World Cup in Japan, with South Africa selecting six forwards and just two backs on the bench.
It has proven to be an incredibly effective ploy for the Boks since then, helping the side win two Rugby Championships, a British and Irish Lions Series and another World Cup in 2023.
Dave Rennie to break All Blacks’ bench trend
The tactic was particularly effective against the All Blacks, especially when the Springboks took it a step further, naming a 7-1 bench split for the World Cup warm-up match against New Zealand at Twickenham – a match they won by a record 35-7 scoreline. They repeated that trick in the World Cup final, securing a 12-11 victory.
Whilst South Africa have regularly used the selection tactic with the likes of France, England, Argentina and others following suit, All Blacks coaches have stuck to the traditional 5-3 split. In fact, Ian Foster was the only head coach to trial the ploy, and it was in that defeat in London to the Boks, while Scott Robertson only named 5-3 splits during his tenure.
In his opening three games in charge in the Nations Championship, Rennie has continued that trend but has revealed plans to test a Bomb Squad when they embark on their tour of South Africa after the Nations Championship.
In fact, the head coach revealed that the teams for the first few weeks in South Africa, with matches against the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls before the first Tests against the Springboks, have already been selected.
“We’ve talked about lots of things. We’ve picked the first four game squads for the first four games in South Africa as well,” Rennie revealed.
“We’ve had a lot of thought around where we want to see guys, and so everyone will get to play in those first week in South Africa. Give an opportunity for everyone to push for places. We’ve certainly talked about 6-2 splits, and the plan is to do one of those in South Africa in one of the provincial games.”
And what about a 7-1 split? The All Blacks boss suggested that wasn’t in the planning just yet.
“Oh, 7-1. What about 4-4? Let’s go the other way. Let’s be innovative,” he joked.
” I don’t think Barnes-y [All Blacks assistant Neil Barnes] will be excited about 4-4, but definitely 6-2. We’ve got the versatility. We think we can do that.”
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Tupou Vaa’i’s blindside flanker selection
The questions around the bench splits came after Rennie named his team to face Ireland in their first Nations Championship match on home soil this year.
The biggest talking point from his team named was the inclusion of Tupou Vaa’i at blindside flanker, with the Chiefs star shifting from the second row. Rennie hinted at the selection after Vaa’i finished the game against Italy on the side of the scrum, with ex-All Blacks winger Jeff Wilson stating that he believes that it’s a selection ploy specifically looking ahead to the Springboks.
All Blacks legend predicts Dave Rennie selection is ‘specific tactic’ for the Springboks
Commenting on the selection, Rennie said: “It gives us a bigger lineout, a bigger pack. We feel he’s got the skill set that suits what we want and are keen to give him another crack there.”
Asked whether this was a one-off or something that the staff is looking at long-term, he replied: “We’ll judge things as we go.
“But we’re going to come across some big packs throughout the year, and he’s athletic enough to play on the blindside but a very good lineout forward and gives us another strong option there.”
READ MORE: All Blacks’ mind-boggling Eden Park record: The numbers behind the unbeaten run
