Player selection has been a hot talking point after Sunday's squad announcement and All Black forwards coach Jason Ryan says he is satisfied with the results, which includes five debutants.
Newcomers to the All Blacks forward pack Samipeni Finau and Tamaiti Williams will be looking to make their mark on the national side and Ryan says they will encourage them to be themselves.
“We’ve got a good balance of youth and experience, but not only that, we believe we’ve got some players… that have a point of difference that they can add to our game,” Ryan told Izzy & Kempy on SENZ Breakfast.
Ryan has turned his attention to the upcoming Rugby Championship series where they travel to Mendoza to face Argentina in their opening game on July 8.
“That’s all I’ve really thought about after the team has been named,” Ryan added.
During the interview, he reflected on last year’s Test match against Argentina in Christchurch, where the Pumas recorded their first win in New Zealand.
Ryan commented on Los Pumas' defensive coach David Kidwell who ensured the All Blacks did not have quick offloads and says he will be reminding the players of that area while preparing for the upcoming Test match.
“I’m pretty basic - the game of rugby has not changed over the years. You have to win your set piece, and you’ve got to be tough,” he added.
Ryan also commended Chiefs back-rower Luke Jacobson on his work rate and how much effort he puts in off the field to improve his game.
“People have talked about size, but I talk about his ticker. He’s a worker."
After Sunday's announcement at Te Awamatu Rugby Sports & Recreation Club, Ian Foster and Ryan called the new players congratulating them on their selection. According to Ryan, Tamaiti Williams' first two words he said to his new forwards coach was, “Cheers bro."
Ryan addressed the players on the fringe of making the squad saying that the ‘door is never shut’ and that a big part of the selection process came down to seeing better performances from other players.
Previously capped All Black forwards such as Akira Ioane and Hoskins Sotutu were not included in Sunday’s announcement.
Listen to the full interview below: