Rugby World Cup 2023: Phil Gifford

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As the Rugby World Cup approaches, Phil Gifford sheds light on eight secrets to success at the tournament in France.

1) Have a united and honest training team

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The All Blacks were led by Henry, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith who could become stronger than Smith’s wife who sometimes feared she would end in tears. But they always buried the axes, never behind each other’s backs. Also in the current training set, all subjects are subject to self-monitoring. Under Ian Foster’s leadership, you can rest assured that there is the same freedom to express ideas, and to be fairly heard, as there was in Henry’s day.

2) Know your enemy

Video analysis is an integral part of international rugby. One of Foster’s key areas when he made it to the All Blacks was his ability to distill what he saw on screen into well-defined information. Ahead of the opening match of the 2023 Cup in Paris, the All Blacks have passed every step of the French in the final tests. And if New Zealand plays Ireland later in the tournament, Joe Schmidt, Ireland coach for seven years until 2019, will know the Irish so well that he could probably predict what his players will eat for breakfast on match day.

3) Be diligent, follow me, leader

Your captain doesn’t need to be a big talker, as long as he lives up to his commitment on the field. In Japan four years ago, South Africa was led to victory by hardworking winger Sia Kolsi. In 2011 and 2015, the All Blacks had another version of Richie McCaw. Forget the vitriol leveled at Sam Cane last year. It was cut from the same cloth as Kolisi and McCaw.

4) Get on the right side of the bases

Having a good relationship with the referees is an art form. can be subtle. Sam Whitelock tries to stand next to one of the referees while they’re talking, so the official doesn’t feel like Whitelock is trying to hover over him and intimidate him. Macaw took advantage of the hosts’ fear of him a bit. It’s good that the All Blacks are thinking about how they will manage their matchday ammunition before every game.

5) Have a group of veterans pit hard in the tight five

The Boks won four of their five in 2015 in 2019. It’s a good art to know when the veterans are past their sell-by date. But in general, having someone come face to face with coal a few times is a good idea.

6) Get a chance to select as many players as possible once per generation

Think Johnny Wilkinson, who led England to their only World Cup in 2003. Or John Eales, who captained Australia in 1999. Or the 2015 All Blacks, with McCaw, Dan Carter, Aaron Smith, Ma Nuno, Jerome Kaino, Brodie Retalik and Sam Whitlock. 23 are all black? They have in Will Jordan a man who, if he starts for France, could be a name added to the World Cup Hall of Fame.

7) Keep something up your sleeve

In 2011, the All Blacks organized a movement called Teabag Undercover for three years. A line call opened a hole for substitute Tony Woodcock to score against Australia at Eden Park in 2008, shutting him out to the last 11 against France. It worked again and Woodcock scored the All Black’s only try in their 8-7 victory.

8) It really, honestly, isn’t over until the final whistle

As the Springboks showed four years ago in Japan, you can lose a game in the first round, as happened with the All Blacks, and still win the Cup. Losing New Zealand to France in the first match in September would be a blow, but not necessarily the end of the All Blacks’ dream. Their group is so untalented that losing to France would mean, as South Africa found in 2019, that there was still a quarter-final to play.