Ex-All Blacks coach reveals why Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series ‘is a really important tour’ for Dave Rennie
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie and ex-New Zealand boss John Hart (inset).
Former New Zealand head coach John Hart has highlighted what he believes will be a key aspect for current All Blacks boss Dave Rennie on the men in black’s tour of South Africa.
After guiding Kobelco Kobe Steelers in a triumphant Japan Rugby League One season, Rennie took over New Zealand’s coaching reins at the beginning of July.
The All Blacks were in fine form during last month’s Nations Championship Tests on home soil and got the campaign off to an impressive start as they clinched victories over France (34-32), Italy (47-17) and Ireland (40-21).
However, a much bigger challenge now awaits the men in black in South Africa where they will take on all four of South Africa’s URC 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.
Tour opener against the Stormers
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series gets underway at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Friday when the All Blacks take on the Stormers.
Hart has extensive knowledge of touring South Africa with an All Blacks side as in 1996 he led the team that became known as ‘The Incomparables’ to New Zealand’s only away Test series victory against their arch-rivals the Springboks.
And with Rennie only having three Tests under his belt as All Blacks head coach, Hart believes the South African tour will give him an opportunity to develop his squad with the ultimate goal being to be successful at next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia.
“I’d give them a chance,” Hart told Morning Report. “I think it’s a big ask. My interest really is to see this team grow and in 18 months, watch what they do in the World Cup.
“I think this is a really important tour in terms of Dave Rennie developing his group that will ultimately challenge for the World Cup next year.
“But I do believe that they can win the series if our forwards are able to play the game in a way that combats and beats the Springboks.
‘The first Test will be awfully important’
“I think our backline has the skill to take us to a victory. So, the first Test will be awfully important in a four-Test series, you want to get one up early.”
Hart guided the All Blacks to a 2-1 series triumph in 1996 but despite the euphoria of that momentous achievement, the men in black were knocked out of the 1999 Rugby World Cup by France in the semi-finals.
Rennie and his All Blacks face a daunting task in their upcoming matches against the Boks, who have won the last two World Cups in Japan and France in 2019 and 2023 respectively.
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The Boks and All Blacks go into Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series as the top ranked teams in the world and Hart highlighted the world champions’ “unbelievable depth” as one of their strengths.
“The last three or four games, they’ve made 13, 12, 11 changes every game, and dominated,” he said.
“They are physically strong, our game is looking to be expansive, looking to play at speed, and utilising our skills.
“Their game is more about set-piece dominance and physical. So the difference is slight, but if we can get the game at the level and speed we want to play, then it’s going to be a very, very close series.”