The All Blacks have strengthened their coaching lineup ahead of mid-year tests against Ireland and after the shock of back-to-back losses to Ireland and France at the end of last season.
New Zealand Rugby indicated it would offer more support to head coach Ian Foster in response to those losses and on Friday Foster announced the appointment of two new assistants.
Backs coach Andrew Strawbridge and scrum expert Mike Cron will join Foster’s current assistants John Plumtree, Greg Feek and Brad Mooar.
A review of last season’s failures identified several areas in which the All Blacks were lacking and which the new coaches will help to address.
New Zealand’s tight forwards lacked the mobility and ball skills of their Irish and French opponents and the team generally was less effective in contact and ball-handling.
“Part of our review is we need to grow our skill component on the attacking, contact, ball-carrying side of the game,” Foster told the New Zealand Herald.
He said Strawbridge, who has been a Super Rugby-winning coach with the Chiefs, would “work with the coaches to make sure we’re grilling the detail of our skill programme in terms of what we’re doing and how we’re doing it during our weeks. It’s some external eyes looking at the program and offering some input.”
Cron was the All Blacks’ scrum coach until the 2019 World Cup. He will return in an advisory role as the All Blacks address the poor performance of their scrum against northern hemisphere teams.
The New Zealand tight five generally compared poorly with the Irish and French packs who were more powerful at set pieces, more mobile and better organized.
Foster said Cron would not take a hands-on role but would provide a resource of knowledge which the current coaches, including forwards coach Feek, could tap into.
“We think there needs to be another level in our game in terms of our movements around the park, our footwork and ability to generate power,” Foster said. “Our review in 2021 said we need to get better at that stuff.”
Former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt also will be working with the All Blacks as a technical advisor beginning this season’s Rugby Championship.
SHARE ME