Five things for the All Blacks coaches to fix

By MARC HINTON - Sunday Star Times

OPINION: Last Sunday in Wellington, Graham Henry made his big move. The All Blacks coach unveiled a World Cup master plan aimed at succeeding where he failed in 2007. And the funny thing was that there was nary a player in the picture.

Sure, he made some interesting decisions in choosing the 33-strong squad that heads off this morning on the annual end-of-year tour.

There were four uncapped players, a couple of true bolts from the blue, a few who were unlucky to miss, some fortunate to have their names read out, a one-man conditioning window afforded Isaac Ross, the recall of a few trusted old soldiers, the strange decision to take just two hookers, but three specialist No 10s, and a pretty clear message given that some experienced tourists could well be playing for their futures.

It was, in short, a typical All Blacks' squad naming. Talking points aplenty, but no more or less than every other time such an exercise has been carried out.

But what was different was the confirmation that the coaches would all change their roles.

Henry now has charge of the forwards, Wayne Smith has Henry's old defence portfolio and Steve Hansen is guiding the thoroughbreds, not the carthorses.

This, not the player selections, was the big talking point of last Sunday.

It was a dramatic and unprecedented shake-up in responsibilities - labelled rearranging the deckchairs by the cynics; hailed as a bold response to challenging times by the more optimistic - and it was instituted because it was desperately needed.

We may look back on this move in, say, two years and hail it as the decisive action in Henry's career. It has been made with nothing other than the Rugby World Cup in mind. And it won't be until then that its success or failure will be truly judged.

Our first peek at the new regime will take place on this tour, and for me it's the theme of this six-week trip.

They say a change is as good as a holiday. Will this change see a revived and rejuvenated All Blacks side winning back lost ground, or will it just be more of the same indecisive stuff as the year winds down all too ingloriously?

The All Blacks haven't suddenly become poor rugby players. But through the first part of the year they became stale ones, and some of their skill-execution, decision-making and general tactical play was well short of the mark.

Something had to be done, and this is Henry's response. The coaches say they're invigorated by it and the players reckon they're excited by the fresh voices and new ideas.

At this stage, it's a big lovefest.

"Because we haven't had a great year I think it creates an extra edge," says Henry. "Players and coaches want to prove themselves, so there's probably a wee bit more tension, and a little bit more focus."

But the proof will be in the pudding. On the field. Can Henry fix the lineout and make his forwards better maulers and more dominant at the breakdown? Can Smith retain the defensive fortitude? Does Hansen have an answer to the attacking woes? Can they all find a way to more effectively counter the high-ball threat.

If the All Blacks are to kick on over the next two years and regain their place atop the rugby world, this tour may well be the launching pad. That's the plan anyway.

Here are five things the All Blacks' coaches need to achieve on this tour:

1. Get the kick-and-chase game sorted. Defending it, and using it. There's an old saying and it rings true here: If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Right now, with the game refereed the way it is, the strategically placed bomb and timely arrival of the infantry is an effective weapon. The All Blacks have been slow to pick up on this.

2. Fix the lineout. This ain't rocket science. Be clever, decisive and timely on our throw, contest theirs whenever possible and, for goodness sake, throw accurately. No Victor Matfield lurking opposite should help; those fancy platforms won't.

3. Rediscover some attacking spark. This doesn't mean run the ball willy-nilly. They've tried that and failed miserably. Build pressure through phases, wear down defences and, when it's on, get the ball to key men running decisive angles.

4. Get the tactics right. Against the Wallabies in Wellington was about the only time this season the All Blacks seemed to play to a smart plan and stick to it. There are some tough tests on this trip and teams who have been watching the All Blacks' aura dissolve with their own eyes. They won't roll over and play dead unless they're made to.

5. Make the game fun again. It has been pretty stern stuff around the All Blacks this year. They've struggled from the off and haven't handled the pressure well. The coaching change looks to have created some freshness, and let's hope we see some smiles back on the dials on this tour.