Before the sun rises over rural Taranaki, Neil Barnes is already at work.
The newly appointed All Blacks assistant coach started most mornings, not on the rugby field, but on the farm he'd called home for most of his life – moving cattle, shifting fences and helping in the cowshed.
Barnes, 68, told Seven Sharp he'd been working on the farm since he was around 11 years old.
"When you got home, you weren't playing on a device. You were doing chores to make the day work," he said.
The long-time Taranaki NPC head coach was named as one of Dave Rennie's assistant coaches for the All Blacks earlier this year.
Despite reaching the highest levels of New Zealand rugby coaching, Barnes said becoming an All Black had never been part of the plan.
"It's never a goal. I wanted to own my own farm by the time I was 30 and I achieved it," he said.
A former club rugby player who earned only a handful of provincial appearances, he never viewed himself as destined for greatness.
"I honestly saw myself as a farmer that worked hard and I loved going to play club footy and being with the boys."
That farm remained a major part of his life to this day, with Barnes still running dairy operations at his Taranaki property alongside sharemilkers Chris and Maysha.
Maysha said rugby was a frequent topic of conversation in the cowshed, although Barnes rarely gave much away about his day job.
"Always talking rugby … he doesn’t say much. He keeps pretty quiet," she said.
Barnes’ three-decade coaching career had taken him around the world, including roles with Fiji, Japan, Italy and the Chiefs alongside Rennie.
One of his proudest coaching achievements was in 2008 when he was removed from a coaching role with Taranaki B and returned to his local club, the New Plymouth Old Boys rugby club, looking for a way to help.
He was handed an under-20 side that hadn't won a game in more than two years.
Former player Sam Rose described the team as "a bit of a shambles".
"We were a good bunch of mates, but we sort of had no direction," Rose said.
After Barnes took over, the under-20 side were able dominate any team by the end of the year – but the real success was measured off the field.
"I had messages coming from bosses saying, ‘I don’t know what the hell you’ve done with this young fella, but mate, he’s changed',' he said.
"Parents that were so rapt that their son was now showing some responsibility.
"Honestly, if you go in there and you do your best for them and you care for them, they're forever your friends."
That people-first approach will remain central to Barnes’ coaching philosophy as he steps into the demanding All Blacks environment.
"The players actually respect being told the truth," he said. "I’m not into the headmaster style of coaching. My players become my mates."
While Barnes admitted his rugby responsibilities often came first, farming remained at the heart of who he was.
"Even now I still see being a farmer as my job, which I love too, but the other part I just do because I enjoy helping people get better," he said.
"The inconvenient truth is Neil Barnes will never have a great All Blacks side and a tidy farm at the same time."
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