The Springboks face up to the All Blacks haka. Photo: SA Rugby website
Beware Springboks… the All Blacks are coming for you!
The year has barely started and New Zealand’s new coaching regime already has the All Blacks players sweating after assembling the squad for a pre-season camp.
The Springboks face up to the All Blacks haka. Photo: SA Rugby website
With the bitter aftertaste of their defeat in the Rugby World Cup final still lingering, the All Blacks have jumped out of the blocks with an early pre-season camp.
Weeks after New Zealand Rugby unveiled Scott Robertson as the new head coach of the All Blacks, along with his new-look assistant lineup, he assembled a big group of All Blacks players for a two-day camp in Auckland in preparation for their gruelling Test schedule in 2024.
Of course, considering that the All Blacks’ first Test of the year is only in July, the timing of this pre-season gathering shows Robertson’s intent to take New Zealand’s game to the next level.
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WHAT PLAYERS SAID ABOUT THE ALL BLACKS NEW REGIME
All that said, a new coach may have stepped into the All Blacks’ camp, but for players like Will Jordan and Damian McKenzie, nothing changed in their approach to another season.
Both were among the World Cup players still involved in New Zealand, who took part in a two-day camp in Auckland this week.
McKenzie said, “It’s about owning our stuff throughout the year. There are expectations for us as All Blacks to go back and perform for our Super team and to make sure we’re doing that throughout the year and leading by example for the rest of the players coming through.”
Jordan, who has been part of Robertson’s successful Crusaders side, said Robertson appeared unaffected in his new role.
“Razor’s his own man. He’s not someone who changes for the environment he is in. He knows it is a step up and different from what he’s experienced in the past, but he’s content with the person he is, how he wants to behave, and how he wants to inspire people.
“I’m sure that he will do that throughout his tenure, and there’ll be pretty similar stuff happening.”
