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Dave Rennie secures his All Blacks coaching team with the appointment of Tana Umaga, Neil Barnes, Jason Ryan, and Mike Blair as assistant coaches. Umaga takes charge of the defense, Barnes steps in as senior assistant focusing on lineouts, Blair leads the attack, and Ryan continues his role with the forwards. This marks a significant shift from the previous staff under Scott Robertson, with Ryan remaining as the sole holdover. However, Rennie misses out on Andrew Strawbridge, a respected skills coach who declines to join the staff due to personal reasons and reluctance to work with Barnes. Strawbridge, previously part of Ian Foster’s team, opts for a role at Toyota Verblitz instead. The new structure emphasizes hierarchy, addressing issues from Robertson's tenure. The focus is now on preparing for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
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