Ex-All Blacks coach gives blunt verdict on New Zealand’s style under Dave Rennie and issues stark player welfare warning
Ex-New Zealand coach Laurie Mains (inset) and All Blacks duo Jordie Barrett and Will Jordan celebrate a try.
Former New Zealand coach Laurie Mains has given his verdict on the All Blacks’ new style of play under Dave Rennie but expressed concern over the number of matches they will be playing this year.
Mains was interviewed recently by Sean Plunkett on The Platform NZ podcast and the show’s host asked him if he is happy with the format of the recently introduced Nations Championship tournament.
Although he said he is, Mains revealed that he is unhappy with the number of matches New Zealand’s players will be playing in 2026.
“Yes, I do,” he said regarding Nations Championship format. “And it is great that many of the second-tier nations are included.
Wary of players’ workload
“It gives us a chance to have a look at them. But there’s one thing we’ve got to be very careful of with our players in New Zealand. They play a really tough Super Rugby season.
“Now they’ve got so many games in the Super Rugby Championship (Nations Championship).”
Mains, who was New Zealand’s head coach between 1992 and 1995 and who represented his country as a full-back from 1971 to 1976, is particularly concerned about the All Blacks‘ workload ahead of their eagerly anticipated Greatest Rivalry series against the Springboks.
New Zealand will head out to South Africa in early August with the All Blacks taking on all four of the United Rugby Championship sides ahead of three clashes with the Springboks in Johannesburg (twice) and Cape Town, before Baltimore hosts the fourth and final Test on September 12.
“The All Blacks in particular, they’re going to South Africa to play not just Test matches, but other games. There’s a limit,” said Mains.
“There’s a limit as to how much these players can rise to that level mentally and physically. There’s a limit to how much they can play.
“And I’m afraid that this year, I would suggest that the All Blacks have got far too much tough rugby on.”
Plunkett then asked Mains whether he believed there’s a limit to how much of a physical toll a player’s body can handle during a 12 month period or in a season, and he replied: “Yeah, well, the brain also. If you want to get players up to the top level, they can’t just keep producing it week after week, 20, 30 times a year like we’re expecting our top All Blacks to do.
“No, mentally and physically it is incredibly demanding.”
The All Blacks have started their Nations Championship campaign with back-to-back victories over France and Italy.
Happy with All Blacks’ style of play under Dave Rennie
Mains is happy with the direction the men in black have taken under Rennie‘s guidance but is wary of Ireland, who they will take on at Eden Park on Saturday, especially after the men from the Emerald Isle beat the All Blacks of late.
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“They seem to have sorted out how the All Blacks play and been able to counter that with their style of play,” he said.
“And I’ve been very impressed with Ireland over recent years. However, I’m also very impressed at the way Dave Rennie has started the All Blacks and the style of rugby they’re playing.
“I feel, I think the All Black pack has been strengthened slightly for this game. I like Tupou Vaa’i at blindside flanker.
“I’m not sure that he’s big enough to be a top international lock, but the games that he previously played at blindside flanker, I thought he was absolutely outstanding and should have retained that position.
“So it’s going to be very interesting to see how he goes there.
“And I’m sure that when it comes to openside flanker (and) number eight, I think Dave Rennie is still trying to tweak those positions a bit.
“Personally, I like our captain Ardie Savea at openside (flank) and let the rest of them fight out the number eight position.
“But also, there’s a lot of similarities in the way a number eight and a number seven play in rugby. They’re trained to be first to breakdowns or second in supporting.
“So, I’m looking forward with interest.”