Ex-All Blacks cornerback Mils Muliaina firmly believes that the Chiefs have demonstrated to Scott Robertson how it’s done following their strong beginning to the Super Rugby Pacific season.
Clayton McMillan’s team is leading the rankings after securing four wins out of their last five matches, highlighted by impressive victories against both the Crusaders and the reigning champions, the Blues, whom they have defeated twice now.
Of more relevance to Muliaina is the approach they have taken by employing a style of play that he considers advantageous. Robertson should follow.
The individual, who is 44 years old, also commended the Blues for their style of rugby during the 32-31 loss in Hamilton, even though they've generally been much more cautious under Vern Cotter’s leadership.
The All Blacks way
"I'm really enjoying what we're witnessing," he stated. The Breakdown. What I've observed is the capability to grab the ball, find our rhythm, which is something New Zealanders excel at. Taking control of the match, causing turnovers, and then we're off to the races.
"Could this be what we envision as the All Blacks Coaches might ask, 'Hey, can we avoid being overly defensive? Let’s refrain from just kicking and instead adopt a more proactive approach rather than playing like Europeans.' Could this style be adapted when we're representing the All Blacks?"
Muliaina was accompanied on the panel by the esteemed former All Black Justin Marshall. While he concurred with Muliaina regarding the primary strengths of New Zealand rugby, he expressed doubts about whether these elements could be successfully executed at the international test level.
Marshall stated, "The rest of the world acknowledges our strength in executing counter-attacks and playing spontaneous one-on-one rugby. Therefore, their aim is to prevent you from having those opportunities."
I completely concur; that's when we excel: gaining possession from a poorly executed kick, causing turnovers, and launching counter-attacks—this is where our players truly shine.
Who will permit them to do that? When facing the All Blacks as both player and coach, I think 'absolutely not; we can’t let that back three have any room or opportunity.'
Jeff Wilson interjected, querying, "Wait, are you saying this has been our approach for the past four or five years?"
Marshall countered, stating that their opponents are stopping the All Blacks from adopting the unrestricted playstyle that New Zealand teams are famous for.
"No, because we haven't been permitted to do so. In Super Rugby, we've had the opportunity, but when we move to the international level, they simply tighten their defense and choke us out, making it impossible to find our groove," he explained.
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Wilson, on the other hand, disagrees and thinks that Robertson’s strategy tends to be quite cautious by nature.
Robertson’s ‘forward-dominated’ blueprint
"I believe their strategy differs from what they have currently. Their approach focuses heavily on moving forward. It emphasizes physical supremacy, with an emphasis on excelling at scrums and lineouts, which were once incredibly effective for the Crusaders," he stated.
If you're a coach, that's your role. You've had success with a particular style of play. Do you believe that continuing to play this way will consistently defeat teams like Ireland, South Africa, and England, or should we consider making changes?
We're all discussing how things could change with this new system; has anything convinced us yet – I'm referring to the selections too – that maybe they'll approach it differently?
Or perhaps the opposition might be thinking, 'you know what, the All Blacks want to challenge us upfront now and we're really excited about that'.
When I observe that (Chiefs), I think of France. That's exactly what France does, isn’t it.
France clinched the Six Nations crown on Saturday, securing their championship win for only the second time since 2010, and they achieved this feat impressively, setting a record for the highest number of tries scored by any team during the tournament.
They exceeded England's score of 29 in 2001 by scoring 30 tries, with winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey breaking Jacob Stockdale's individual record during the Six Nations era by crossing the line eight times in five games.
"We have taken up a strategy where we believe we can emerge victorious with a Northern Hemisphere approach, however, France does not follow that style. Instead, they are employing a Super Rugby-style gameplay," Muliaina explained.
“However, the expertise and proficiency required, along with the caliber of players needed to execute that strategy, are unparalleled. I'm hopeful that the All Blacks' coaching staff will provide insights and guidance on which direction we should take.”
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