In the heated debate over who should take the helm of the All Blacks, former All Black Lima Sopoaga throws his weight behind Jamie Joseph, citing his tough, old-school approach as precisely what the team needs. Sopoaga, a seasoned fly-half with caps for both New Zealand and Samoa, has been under Joseph's wing since his early days in professional rugby, both at Wellington and during a significant tenure with the Highlanders.
Reflecting on his rigorous training under Joseph, Sopoaga recalls a particularly grueling session orchestrated by Joseph aimed at knocking some sense into the younger players. "We had to defend live mauls against the entire forward pack. He was dead serious," Sopoaga recounted. Despite the harsh methods, he acknowledges Joseph's growth and success as a coach, leading the Highlanders to a Super Rugby title and making significant strides with Japan on the international stage.
"Jamie Jo will always be old school, but he’s evolved. Deep down, he is who he is which is a very strong character. His teams have always been built on hard work, grit, determination, and he’s been able to bring the best out of players with less talent,"
Sopoaga said.
Despite the allure of other candidates like Dave Rennie, Sopoaga feels confident in Joseph's capabilities to steer the All Blacks. He regards Joseph as not just a coach, but a molder of men who can thrive under the pressures of one of the most scrutinized coaching roles in rugby. Sopoaga emphasized, "He’s evolved, he’s changed his ways – somewhat – from when he was making us do crazy shit."
"No.1 is man management and how he can bring a group together. That’s a pretty unique and special gift to have as a coach,"
Sopoaga added.
Though the potential absence of Tony Brown, Joseph's long-time assistant, might be seen as a setback, Sopoaga remains hopeful, comparing the coaching duo to iconic partnerships like Shaq and Kobe, or Batman and Robin. He is confident Joseph has plenty of contingencies planned: "If he can't get Tony, he'll have someone else. He’ll have A, B, C, D, E, and F all in the back of his mind." Ultimately, Sopoaga sees Joseph not just fitting into the All Blacks' coaching role but redefining it.
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In the heated debate over who should take the helm of the All Blacks, former All Black Lima Sopoaga throws his weight behind Jamie Joseph, citing his tough, old-school approach as precisely what the team needs. Sopoaga, a seasoned fly-half with caps for both New Zealand and Samoa, has been under Joseph's wing since his early days in professional rugby, both at Wellington and during a significant tenure with the Highlanders.
Reflecting on his rigorous training under Joseph, Sopoaga recalls a particularly grueling session orchestrated by Joseph aimed at knocking some sense into the younger players. "We had to defend live mauls against the entire forward pack. He was dead serious," Sopoaga recounted. Despite the harsh methods, he acknowledges Joseph's growth and success as a coach, leading the Highlanders to a Super Rugby title and making significant strides with Japan on the international stage.
"Jamie Jo will always be old school, but he’s evolved. Deep down, he is who he is which is a very strong character. His teams have always been built on hard work, grit, determination, and he’s been able to bring the best out of players with less talent,"
Sopoaga said.Despite the allure of other candidates like Dave Rennie, Sopoaga feels confident in Joseph's capabilities to steer the All Blacks. He regards Joseph as not just a coach, but a molder of men who can thrive under the pressures of one of the most scrutinized coaching roles in rugby. Sopoaga emphasized, "He’s evolved, he’s changed his ways – somewhat – from when he was making us do crazy shit."
"No.1 is man management and how he can bring a group together. That’s a pretty unique and special gift to have as a coach,"
Sopoaga added.Though the potential absence of Tony Brown, Joseph's long-time assistant, might be seen as a setback, Sopoaga remains hopeful, comparing the coaching duo to iconic partnerships like Shaq and Kobe, or Batman and Robin. He is confident Joseph has plenty of contingencies planned: "If he can't get Tony, he'll have someone else. He’ll have A, B, C, D, E, and F all in the back of his mind." Ultimately, Sopoaga sees Joseph not just fitting into the All Blacks' coaching role but redefining it.