New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie has confirmed the All Blacks will prioritise neutralising the breakdown threat of Wales flanker Jac Morgan ahead of Saturday’s Nations Championship clash at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
The All Blacks are firm favourites to extend their 73-year winning run against Wales, yet Rennie has explicitly identified Morgan’s contact area work as one of the Welsh side’s primary tactical strengths.
Morgan was the only Welsh player involved in the British and Irish Lions Test-winning side against Australia in 2025, a fact that underscores his significant impact on the international stage.
Rennie acknowledged the specific danger posed by the Welsh back-rower, stating: “When [Wales] chop tackle, you’ve got guys like Morgan who are excellent on the ball.
The New Zealand coach emphasised that his team is well aware of this specific threat and intends to focus on eliminating Morgan before he can cause stress, noting that this aspect is a big part of the Welsh game.
Rennie also highlighted other areas of concern regarding the Welsh setup, specifically praising their line-out performance over the last year despite six throws going astray against Japan last weekend.
“Maybe it was not quite as accurate against Japan but up until then, it’s been top-notch,” the veteran coach added, acknowledging the consistency of the Welsh set-piece unit.
He further noted that Wales are prepared to play open rugby, pointing to scrum-half Tomos Williams as one of the best nines in the world who possesses a high-quality kicking game from both feet.
Rennie warned that his team must ensure Williams does not have too much space, as the Welsh side has a number of players who will be a handful if given time and space to operate.
The All Blacks have made eight starting changes from the side that defeated Scotland 43-21, a selection decision that some sections of the New Zealand media have interpreted as reflecting a lack of threat posed by Wales.
“So we’ve picked a strong side we think will show the respect for them,” Rennie said, rejecting the notion that the selection changes indicate a lack of seriousness about the fixture.
Rennie is also familiar with many of the Wales coaching staff, having been Glasgow coach between 2017 and 2020 when Wales duo Steve Tandy and Danny Wilson were part of Gregor Townsend’s Scotland backroom staff.
Wales defence coach Peter Murchie was also part of Rennie’s backroom team at Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Japan before linking up with Tandy in the Welsh set-up, creating a unique professional connection.
“I know them well and they are very good, smart coaches,” said Rennie, praising the tactical acumen of the Welsh management team.
“Pete did a phenomenal job defensively with us at Kobe, and I can see the impact he’s having already,” Rennie added, while also acknowledging the positive influence of Steve Tandy.
Rennie recalled his bittersweet memories of coaching an international side against Wales at the Principality Stadium when he was leading Australia in December 2022.
He masterminded a wonderful Wallabies comeback as Wales led 34-13 before the tourists scored 26 unanswered points to win 39-34, a match that proved to be Rennie’s final action as Australia coach.
“It is one of the great grounds in world rugby, with the roof on, the national anthems you’ve got to soak it up and enjoy it,” Rennie said, reflecting on the atmospheric conditions.
“It can be pretty daunting, but it’s special,” he continued, adding that the All Blacks will definitely embrace the occasion and that all the boys are excited to be here.
New Zealand have won the past 34 Tests against Wales in a winning sequence that stretches back to 1953, with the All Blacks scoring more than 50 points on each of their three previous visits to Cardiff over the past five years.
New Zealand and South Africa are currently unbeaten in the southern hemisphere table, competing for top spot before the Nations Championship play-off weekend at the end of the month.
Rennie, however, says his side are not concentrating on trying to close the points-difference gap on the Springboks, insisting that it is just a Test match and their focus is this week.
“We’ll probably be looking at things going into the last game, where it might be a little bit clearer around what we need to do,” Rennie explained regarding the league standings.
“I think South Africa are about 70 points clear, so if we end up on the same amount of points, it’s unlikely we’d catch them,” the coach noted, managing expectations regarding the final standings.
“There’s a real danger to go out and think you need to score X amount of points, you end up overplaying and getting embarrassed,” Rennie warned his players about potential tactical errors.
“We’ve got a clear plan around how we want to play and whatever happens, happens,” Rennie concluded, emphasising the team’s commitment to their game plan regardless of the league context.
Reporting verified from official briefings and primary coverage by www.bbc.co.uk.
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