Richard Loe: Coaches spread poison if they talk like losers

There's been a lot of debate since that wholly dissatisfying loss to the Springboks about whether it was the coaches' fault or the players' fault.

It was down to the coaches. I had to turn the TV off the other day when I saw Wayne Smith on a national programme saying they had played the test with counter-attacking tactics because the All Blacks couldn't take the Boks on up front.

That kind of talk is poison. What are they trying to do? Smith even looked defeated - he turned up on TV in what looked like a tracksuit and some old flip-flops.

At least look the part.

That's what I want to highlight this week - the All Blacks are not looking the part and, if we get the coaches continually saying stuff like that and insisting on flawed tactics, who could expect them to?

In every rugby team I have ever played for, we played to our strengths. We didn't worry about the opposition so much as we worried about how we'd get past them. All right, our strength might be in the backs and counter-attacking but we never gave up trying to secure the ball and field position.

It's a no-brainer.

The fact these coaches committed such a boo-boo absolves the players - particularly as they are obviously coached from the grandstand during the game. They want to let the players "play what is in front of them" but then the messages start flowing through the water-carriers.

Here's what I'd do to get the All Blacks back on track for the rest of the season. It's not rocket science but it is badly needed to get All Black heads back into the space they should be in.

1) Go back to a more conventional game plan based on possession, territory and percentages. You can still play the Fancy Dan stuff if a counter-attack opportunity presents itself or if you are behind in the last quarter, for example. But build momentum and build the confidence in your forward pack that they can provide it.

2) Contest in the lineouts - in fact, contest everything. Why wouldn't you? You get ball that way. Take the lineout calls off the guy least qualified to call them - Isaac Ross - and give them to a senior guy.

3) Forget about their rolling maul. Build our own. Mr Steve Hansen, All Black forwards coach, says we can't maul. Gee, I seem to recall being in several All Black sides who were very good at it. My daughter's rugby team are good at it. So are several school sides I have seen. How come the All Blacks aren't?

4) Pick a tight five who are mobile and who are prepared to smash people in the rucks. Tony Woodcock, Owen Franks, Andrew Hore/Keven Mealamu and Aled de Malmanche seem fine to me, along with Ross and Brad Thorn. There's plenty of mobility and attitude there.

5) Pick a top side and stick to it. Play them for 80 minutes and give away this bench strategy stuff. Give rotation away too. It's bullshit and it's as damaging now as it ever was. Play your top team for 80 minutes as much as you can. If people can't play for 80 minutes, get some who can. I know the game has changed and that it is supposed to a 22-player game these days - but the All Blacks are not starting well, are giving away considerable leads and are not making them up. How bright is that? We should be starting as we mean to finish.

6) Use your loose forwards - Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino, Rodney So'oialo and Kieran Read - as attackers. They are good ball carriers and get them working in close and using short, sharp passing raids, rather than sending everything wide and the backs running at a 45-degree angle.

7) Our 9 & 10 combination isn't working well. Select Brendon Leonard and Stephen Donald together for Waikato for the next three weeks, then play them in the next test, and the next and the one after that.

8) Drop those who are not performing. Joe Rokocoko can go and Hosea Gear or Rudi Wulf come in. Neemia Tialata can go. I wouldn't make too many other changes.

What we need more than anything else is to fight fire with fire - not to fight fire with smoke and mirrors. We can play an over-analysed, complicated game which makes us look like dorks or we can go back and play our natural game, with ferocity and speed.