“I think that was a big tick, as well as his heritage. He’s the first New Zealand coach of Pasifika heritage, and the makeup of the All Blacks and rugby in general is increasingly filled with Māori and Pasifika players.
“So, having a deep, inherent understanding of how to bring cultures together and how to build a rugby team was certainly an advantage in Rennie’s favour.”
Napier said the coach of the All Blacks often faced the same scrutiny as the Prime Minister.
“I think the New Zealand public has matured over time, but those expectations, the scrutiny is still there. If you think about the world in which we live, of social media, of anyone saying anything at any time.
”The All Blacks pride themselves on being a world-class elite team, both on the field and also from a commercial perspective. They sell themselves as being one of the world’s leading sports brands. And you can’t do that if you’re not winning on the field.
“It’s not just the external pressure from the public, it’s both internal from New Zealand Rugby and the need to drive huge revenue. The All Blacks are the apex of that, and that’s where a lot of that pressure comes from.
“ So, Dave Rennie has spent the bulk of his life in New Zealand. He’s well aware of those expectations. He arrives with eyes wide open, and he’ll certainly have a goal of going to Australia and winning that World Cup. But it’s not gonna be easy.”
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:
- Who is Dave Rennie?
- Possible staff shake-up
- Overseas eligibility rules
- Pressure and public expectations.
The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5pm. The podcast is presented by Chelsea Daniels, an Auckland-based journalist with a background in world news and crime/justice reporting who joined NZME in 2016.
You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
