New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie wants his side to eliminate Wales flanker Jac Morgan on Saturday at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
New Zealand face Wales in the Nations Championship. The All Blacks enter the weekend fixture as firm favorites to extend a winning run against Wales that stretches back to 1953. New Zealand have won the past 34 Tests between the two nations.
Rennie spoke about Morgan’s work in the contact area. “When [Wales] chop tackle, you’ve got guys like Morgan who are excellent on the ball,” Rennie told Yahoo. “So we’re well aware of that and we’ll have a focus on eliminating him before he can cause us stress, because that is a big part of their game.”
The visiting team talked about removing the breakdown threat. The New Zealand camp said that if opponents grant time and space to the Welsh side, they possess numerous players who become a handful on the pitch.
The New Zealand coaching staff tracked scrum-half Tomos Williams. Rennie described him as one of the best nines in the world. The team prepared for a player with a high-quality kicking game who kicks off both feet.
Some sections of the New Zealand media viewed the rotation as a reaction to Wales being ranked 10th in the world. The All Blacks are ranked second. Rennie rejected the idea that the lineup showed a lack of respect.
“Wales will be pretty fired up to put in a quality performance,” he said, according to BBC Sport. “So we’ve picked a strong side we think will show the respect for them.”
The match brings Rennie up against familiar faces on the Welsh coaching staff. He previously worked with Steve Tandy and Danny Wilson. They were part of Gregor Townsend’s Scotland backroom staff during his tenure coaching Glasgow between 2017 and 2020.
Rennie praised those connections. He called them smart coaches and mentioned the defensive impact Murchie is having.
Returning to the venue brings back memories for Rennie from his time leading Australia in December 2022. Wales built a 34-13 lead during that fixture. He masterminded a comeback. Australia orchestrated 26 unanswered points for a 39-34 victory.
That match was his final action as Australia coach before Eddie Jones replaced him. Rennie described the setting as one of the great grounds in world rugby. He talked about the atmosphere created when the roof is closed and national anthems are played, noting that it’s a great place to play, so the Wallabies are really excited about it.
Worth a look
