Coach Dave Rennie expressed a sense of "relief" following the All Blacks' narrow 34-32 victory over France in their Nations Championship debut match this Saturday. Despite facing a French squad missing key players from major clubs like Toulouse and Montpellier, New Zealand had to come from behind three times in Christchurch before securing the win. Following the dismissal of Scott Robertson in January after two unremarkable years, Rennie, who previously coached Kobe in Japan, has stepped in with promises of an "optimistic" style of rugby aimed at minimizing kicks and maximizing running and attacking opportunities.
"I love the effort. I love the optimism," Rennie remarked, praising his team's ability to maintain a high tempo and quick ball movement, with possession recycled at a staggering rate of almost 85%. "We did a lot of really good things with the ball," he added. However, Rennie also pointed out areas needing improvement, particularly in defense and precision, as France matched their speed, scoring four tries to New Zealand's five.
"I can't fault the effort, I love the mindset, but we've got to be a lot more accurate," Rennie stated.
Rennie also noted the team's resilience and their ability to regroup defensively but emphasized the need for more pressure to slow down the opposition's play. "There’s a lot of guts. We scrambled really well at times, but we've got to get off the line and apply a lot more pressure, give them slow balls so we can reset and get off the line and do it again," he explained.
The coach's decision to start Ruben Love at flyhalf proved astute, despite Love receiving an early yellow card. His assertive running and sharp passing cut through the French defense effectively. "He’s impressive," Rennie said of Love. "He’s very confident. He’s taken control. Doesn’t mind bossing around some of the old fellas, so I’m really pleased for him."
Flanker Peter Lakai, who also scored a try, echoed the sentiment of ongoing improvement. "We scored some brilliant tries, but we also let in a few soft ones," Lakai observed. "It’s just about polishing. We’ve been together for one week, so it’s just building combinations and we’ll take our learnings."
Looking ahead, Rennie remained optimistic about the team's trajectory. "We’re going to be better," he assured. "We certainly weren’t high-fiving and jumping for joy. We’re happy to win and we’ve got a game under our belt and we’ll build on that."
"There's a lot of guts. We scrambled really well at times," said Rennie, capturing the fighting spirit of the team.
As the All Blacks prepare for upcoming matches against Italy and Ireland, the focus is clear: refine their play, solidify team dynamics, and harness the initial momentum of this narrow victory for greater successes ahead.