New Zealand Rugby firing Plumtree and not Foster is a shocker!

What a shocker by New Zealand Rugby! They go and fire John Plumtree and Brad Mooar but not the head coach Ian Foster. I can’t believe it.

Normally it is the head coach who goes first when things go wrong, so it should have been Foster, not his assistants.

Plumtree and Moaar, after all, worked inside the structure and framework put in place by Foster, so why should they cop the blame for how the team have performed?

Plumtree and Moaar can feel hard-done by, for sure.

And anyway, I don’t think much will change with the All Blacks now that they’ve changed their assistants.

While Jason Ryan has been brought in from the Crusaders to work what many All Blacks fans hope will be a miracle, the reality is New Zealand don’t have props and his record, as good as it is, is due to his working with a settled team, the Crusaders, who are led by a very good coach.

The Crusaders have been a settled unit for a long time and there’s loads of experience there so Ryan has had the right tools to build a good reputation. I’m not saying he’s not a good coach, but prepping the Crusaders for Super Rugby and coaching the All Blacks against the Springboks are two very different beasts.

On top of that, Plumtree knows South Africa well, he understands the rugby culture and the players and their mentality and he probably knows Rassie Eramus’ style and philosophy as well. Jacques Nienaber, as head coach, is simply working with the building blocks put in place by Erasmus.

I think the All Blacks would have been better off with Plumtree involved.

New Zealand Rugby were under pressure to do something after the series loss to Ireland, but this decision to shake up their coaching team actually puts them under even more pressure. They have to perform now, and that against a Boks side that always lifts themselves for the big matches.

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Looking ahead to the Test I think the All Blacks will bring in Richie Mo’unga at 10 in place of Beauden Barrett.

Mo’unga is a smart player, his option-taking is sound and he is somehow able to drive the team’s attacking play. It could be a game-changer for the visitors to South Africa.

For the first time in a long time the All Blacks will be in action in South Africa with many questions surrounding the team. One’s got to wonder whether South Africa not playing Super Rugby anymore has somehow ‘softened’ New Zealand rugby.

Regarding the Boks, it’s great to have Duane Vermeulen and Frans Steyn back. I’m especially happy that Vermeulen is there; he’s a big player for the Boks when it comes to mauling and he’s the best at receiving the kick-offs. He’ll add a lot of value over the coming weeks and months.

The other big call that has to be made is on the right wing. I don’t think Kurt-Lee Arendse will play; he’s just a bit too raw and needs some time. I think Jesse Kriel will get the nod.

Until next week, and matchday. Enjoy the build-up to what should be another epic Boks-All Blacks Test.