Alama Ieremia Interview | All Blacks Review - SIZE MATTERS!

0:00Spoiled at this Father's Day at Chemist Warehouse, with Gillette Fusion One-style easy-faced embody-trum in our 64-99s, save 1150. And save 20% on S.U.P. gummies assorted variants now 1999 each. Chemist Warehouse, great savings, every day. Millsian Guy Former all-black, one of our very best is Alama Eda Meeh and he is with us now. Alama, thank you very much for jumping on the line to chat the all-black's loss from the weak end. What was your assessment of the performance? Hi, hi, Moe. Well, I suppose they called it for test matches for a reason. And that was pretty awesome test match. As you can, you know, just pick apart the intensity and, you know, the managing of test matches at the highest level, I think it was a great test to watch, obviously, to the plenty that we lost, but I'm sure there's a lot of lessons that came out of it. Alama, lovely to talk to you. Obviously, a way better start from the all-black's in comparison to test three. Was that the type of intensity you thought they were going to bring?

1:04Yeah, I thought so. And I thought obviously the occasion was a massive one. And you could see the intensity and even in the warm-ups and then, you know, the way they started that test match. But as it's well documented already this week, you know, the spring box just thought they had the right course and we sort of ran out of it of our position where we could have run them off their feet, but they're going to go that way. So, yeah, I thought the boys did really well, but massive lessons. There's a lot of different lessons, you know, just amongst the team, amongst individuals, at the young all-black team. I think they had definitely had in the right direction. Well, that's what I was about to ask you if, if you had a good time, how would you rate the tour across the three tests, which is focused on the test, across the three tests, and then secondly, and kind of along those lines, if I had said to you before the tour that the all-black's would win one and lose two, and I only lose those two by seven and five respectively, would you have accepted

2:07that before the tour, and especially considering how long Dave Rene has had this team for? Well, I know, I think they've done really, really well. It's actually a question, well, I think they've done really well. I think there was an excitement and expectation that, you know, we're really going to get tested over there, and for some people they probably thought it might be too far, you know, but I think we're all pleasantly happy and surprised that some of the lessons that test matches are throwing up, some of these young players are learning it in front of our eyes, and it'll affect a couple of them individually, but I just think as a whole, you know, the old cultures coming through, you can see that. But I think at the highest level, I think we're starting to see it, pretty much like a master team, sort of give us a little bit of a lesson around managing the back half of the test, but they've been together for a while. I think we're heading in the definite heading in the right direction, and I think long-winded way to answer your question, go ahead. I actually thought that we could potentially do this,

3:09and I think we'll just, you know, we'll just minutes away from possibly tuning that with all around. And, Alama, you know, I feel like there's two big things everyone's talking about in these last two tests. One of them obviously being Scrum and Set-Pace, but what I want to tap into with you is this rush-style defence. Like, how do you see, how can we adjust to this rush-defense quicker? I think you can answer all of this, you play a big part in it, and I had a really close look at around the systems and that, and just, we're sort of trying to adjust for that. There used to be a real fast and spooked back in the day when it sure came out, just that rush-defense, but if you look at it very carefully, obviously the detail of people will probably see that a little bit harder than others, but, you know, they spook and then they hold a little bit. So, that's an adjustment that is not consistent with the fences of the past.

4:12So, I think the evolution of that real blitz-defense is also, you know, that the South Africans are taking it to another level, and as a game, when time we became deeper and deeper, at times we didn't need to be. So, that adjustment will come with experience. And I think, you know, those turnovers towards the end probably cost us a little bit where we couldn't probably just take it in the ball to the line a little bit more. But as I mentioned, you know, if the young king will tell them, we'll get better. Yeah, well said. Around the scrums, let's delve into that a little bit. Do you think, is there enough there to convince you that in 12 to 14 months' time, by the time the World Cup rolls around anyway, that the all-blacks can get that up to scratch particularly for quarter final time when they are more than likely to face the box? Yeah, I think so. Absolutely. I think so. It won't be an easy fix, but there's enough experience in old heads there to come up with solutions. There's a lot of different things that are off-hits.

5:12Clearly, I'm not a squamcoach, but, yeah. But they'll come up with some really good. Obviously, they will look at the timing, they'll look at combinations. There was just a couple of real major ones that we actually got found out in that test. And I think there are times when they're getting better, but then the consistency of that, and then when the opposition always turned the heat up. I don't know, I just thought it was a bit better, but once that floodgate can through, you know, it was a pretty big mess. But aren't there questions? Yep, I totally believe in what they're doing, and I'm sure they'll come up with some solution. So much do you think we're missing Tom IT Williams? Because I just feel like Josh has made a good point on the text machine by bringing him up, a guy that I'd kind of just forgotten about, because he'd been out for a wee while. But he does feel like a guy would have been ideal for those South African situations. And if we can get him back, that can only strengthen that scrum side of things, right?

6:15So as matters go, and you've hit it on the edge, I think human beings over here that matched those guys, and obviously Tom it is pretty powerful as well. So yeah, I was in a greet. And you know, those are possible solutions that I'm sure the coach was well looked at. And what's the one person is that you feel is going to make the difference for our all blacks to one test for? I certainly think individually there's a couple of key ones that were pretty obvious. I think that's the system versus individual stuff. I think that's hard to listen to learn, but obviously the one on one tackling will, you know, we don't have to pick people out. There was that you can see that from a mile away. But you know, and fairness to legal, you know, or mentioned him. It's easy to miss those tackles, but if you look at his game, his attacking ability, his finishing, his assist, you know, that's just his NBA title. You know, he features quite a lot in the lot of up to five.

7:17So awesome messing for him. You know, it's about the consistency now. You know, you even love the same kicking. You know, you can't be up and down at times. You just got to be, you know, you got to make sure you're more consistent. And you know, Fabian Holland, their life clean up. Possibly because we, you know, we could have actually had that momentum to go into that and run those boys off their feet towards the end. But you know, everything's a lesson for that group that's going over there. What if the teacher, you know, came back better? So I just think there's awesome, awesome opportunities for these guys to get another chance. What's really, really exciting about it is that if you actually don't perform, there's enough competition there to actually play the best player. There's a week side, the culture and the team and the way that selected the team. You know, it's certainly certainly showing up who can actually stand in. Who needs a little bit of a, you know, tickle up. Well, just on the selection side of things mate, for this last test, would you be making significant changes? Or would you largely be sticking with the, with the script and sticking with the side

8:18and saying, get some revenge out there, fellas? Oh, no fucking, that's all that one, go. I think in terms of the bigger picture, the bigger picture, there's some really good development around the combinations there that I think, you know, I think form is certainly important. But I think I don't see any drastic reason why they should sort of sudden change things up. But in terms of the bigger picture and the development of the team, I'm sure that, you know, a little bit of consistency in combinations. And maybe the resting of some players, but, you know, you know, there's still at the end of the year, too or so. So, I think that's really great. We're going to have a moment, though, you know, it's going to be another physical settlement. You know, these are injuries that are coming a little bit more serious than normal, because of the collision. Yeah, too right. It's a physical blood again. That's for sure. I'm glad I'm not out there. Thank you so much. I really appreciate your time and your expertise and,

9:18and your specialist opinion on everything. Thanks so much, Alama. Good man.