Murray Mexted on the All Blacks' 38-7 victory over the Wallabies

Legendary All Blacks loose forward and commentator Murray Mexted joins Martin Devlin on It's Only Sport, sharing his thoughts on the All Blacks' 38-7 victory over the Wallabies in Melbourne.
As a result, the All Blacks retain the Bledisloe Cup and win the Rugby Championship for the fourth consecutive year. Mex shares his joy over the New Zealand men's three performances to start 2023 and what it means as the Rugby World Cup looms.
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[@rory7590]

I’m glad that Mexted actually mentioned the elephant in the room - the change in performance matches the change in the coaching personnel. There is a narrative going around that somehow, all the Foster critics were wrong and they are all hushed now that the AB performances are improved. However, there was a a tangible shift in the coaching set up.

[@Marius_vanderLubbe]

Great comment.

[@richardscanlan3419]

The Foster critics were right - it is obvious to anyone that isn't a moron that the change in coaching staff has changed our fortunes. All foz has to do is leave the coaching to the experts,and we should go ok.

[@joedennehy386]

Well said

[@stevenclarke344]

Agreed. Also the new front row, Jordie to centre and BB injury free (Achilles) have made some differences as well as some clarity from the coaching box

[@MrWarkwark88]

Interesting that Mexted has joined the Sam cane fan club along with Jeff Wilson on the breakdown. Cane made 11 tackles against Argentina and missed 4 and got a penalty against him. Papalii made 26 tackles against Australia and missed 1…with no penalty’s against him. Running metres between them is not worth comparing as dalton in a different league.

[@Gumboot_City_NZ]

Jason Ryan is the reason we have been playing well since that South African game last year. Jason Ryan!!

[@jonathonwalters906]

He's one of the reasons. Joe Schmidt is the other!!

[@Gumboot_City_NZ]

@jonathonwalters906 we had Joe on board before that South Africa victory last year though!! Joe was with us when we lost to Ireland and Argentina. Vast improvement since Jason came on.

[@TheRock90909]

​​@@Gumboot_City_NZJoe can't do much with fozzies crap selections like Ofa and Nepo starting it starts in the forwards

[@Marius_vanderLubbe]

Martin, It was Jason Ryan and Joe Schmidt that made the difference - and you knew it.

[@dmazingi]

Exactly!

[@gregbooth1551]

Why can we NOT give Fozzie (and Sam Cane) some respect?? MD and Mex are right...Foz simplifying the coaching structure is what has changed, and that took a few tests last year to bed in. Jason Ryan and Joe Schmidt are great coaches, but so were Plumtree and Moar, however the players had their say. Foz deserves credit. He has been to hell and back, and we need to get off his back...

[@davidpeters3857]

Great craic…..Mex is spot on ….at last the AB’s are playing with rhythm,could be perfect timing for World Cup year

[@Harry-fc5qd]

Foster never chose Ryan & Schmidt. They where forced upon him by the NZRU. And it's them who have turned the ABs around, not Foster.!!!

[@tristanmckenzie1623]

That's true actually. Foster never requested Ryan and Schmidt nor was it his decision to sack Plumtree and Moore. NZRU would of put the SOS call to Schmidt and Ryan. Fozzie is just the media man now. He won't be doing anything really in terms of coaching. Maybe a bit of a say in his selection of team but that's it.

[@Harry-fc5qd]

@@tristanmckenzie1623 Absolutely. !!!

[@at7512]

Mexted is spot on with maintaining consistency in selection. As a bok fan we are concerned about the number of team changes made each week and it is showing in the poor standard of rugby we are delivering

[@waffle_burger8499]

I wonder if Foster has actually entrusted the bulk of the coaching to Ryan, Schmidt and others and become more of a coaching coordinator and manager. That's the only explanation that makes sense, I think he realised he was struggling with the ah.. "coaching" part of being a coach. At last the team is coming right at a crucial time, thank God.

[@gregbooth1551]

Head coach (think Steve Hansen) entrusts most of the coaching to his lieutenants. Fozzie was one of those when we were number ONE

[@waffle_burger8499]

@@gregbooth1551 Yes he was, but we were also blessed with once-in-generation type players, and others that were probably some of the greatest players of all time (think 2015 era). Those guys could have probably coached themselves.

[@dmazingi]

@@gregbooth1551 yeah so from documentaries fozzie was the coaching guy while Hansen was strategic and also was the grumpy one while fozzie was the one who was friends with all the players and knew them well. Problem is it made him unable to say the hard things to the players an also made them loyal but also beholden to him. That's why they stood up for him last year and why he has consistently selected players that maybe shouldn't be. Cos they were there for him. But the truth is we don't need to guess what's happening in the camp. We can see on the field that the things the ABs are doing well at now are things in the direct purview of the assistants and you can see their fingerprints all over them. Joe Schmidts style is very evident and Jason Ryan's influence is obvious.

[@gregbooth1551]

@@dmazingi I think its a balance, players need to be empowered, but ultimately the coaches are accountable. IMO this side is pretty much "spot on" Would love to see Jordan at Fullback, and Roigard get a start in Dunedin, oh and Taimati and Samisoni get starts too...we have earnt the luxury!! Cannot ask for more than that...

[@BM-bc6jj]

Needs to be longer. That was great.

[@markrutherford6010]

Foster was told pick Jason Ryan and Joe Schmidt. Remember he was about to be sacked and previous assistants were the fall guys.

[@craigrik2699]

well it worked, fossie is the boss and the new assistants are better then the fall guys?

[@bronzemen34]

Murray nailed it Coaches are the real reason this team has developed so well……the players can all be in form but without the coaches putting that input needed for them to motivate themselves I did have my doubts about selection but I never thought we’d be weak in any areas regardless and I always back my BOYs no matter what That was a great 4 weeks of All Black Rugby…….and they only just started….scary thought

[@nainoa6848]

Papalii was awesome. 26/27 tackles, challenged at the breakdown, cleaned rucks and ran hard. Kinda crazy how some people think he’s not as good as sam cane

[@p.stanaway8786]

its the breakdown and off the ball work mate. canes a dog there. no one sees the dirty work, and the enforcing he does isnt added to stats like tackling is, so it usually goes unnoticed. also cane might miss a tackle here or there but he goes out to break the opponent, which can build momentum for the team.

[@zabaleta66]

​@@p.stanaway8786Cane's a chugger mate. The best open side dog we have is Billy Harmon! And Savea is fulfilling that role better too. Cane does nothing special in the tight exchanges and is a poor reacting flanker, in a position where reaction and instinct is probably the best quality, at the best of times. Cane is about the slowest reacting number 7 in both the NZ squad's! Scott Barrett, Taylor, Taukeiaho, DeGroot (rapidly becoming), Retallick, and surprisingly maybe even Frizzell, are the enforcers/dogs.....not Cane.

[@TheRock90909]

​@@p.stanaway8786Cane is overrated not even a great captain

[@p.stanaway8786]

​@@zabaleta66 absolute dribble mate. as mexted said we missed him big time at the breakdown on saturday, shifting bodies doing the dirty work. go back to the springboks and aregentina came he was smashing those big boys. it wasnt until the wallabies got tired we broke away, and them falling asleep the last 10 of the first half. other then that it was a hard game against an average team.

[@tristanmckenzie1623]

​@p.stanaway8786 aussie fall asleep in the last 10 of the first half really, how?

[@redneckReno]

the short passing and support play is clicking right now for the AB's...and it's great to watch

[@karl-heinzvonscharnhorst546]

In Mex we trust!

[@Siphamandla.Ngcobo]

I wouldn't say the Springboks are "probably the best team in the world", they never really have been since re-admission; they've only won tournaments at odd times and with much less challenges than when others have, despite the three world cups in their cabinet.

[@TheRock90909]

True they've been nowhere near the best for a long time

[@oraclearl_fx]

Yeah the odd times like when England thrashed the AB'S in the last worldcup...totally agree

[@TheRock90909]

@@oraclearl_fx and SA getting thrashed by NZ in the same world cup the only side to EVER win a world cup after losing a game you can have that record no one else wants it and England have only beaten NZ 8 times in 43 tests and they invented the game 🤣

[@TheRock90909]

@@oraclearl_fx as for England they lost to a team NZ beat at the world cup and have only beaten NZ 8 times in 43 tests and they invented the game 🤣

[@tristanmckenzie1623]

​@TheRock90909 did England invent the game?

[@floydkingi4364]

The Boks are not the best team in the world atm, they are currently ranked fourth and playing like it

[@autoeuropeanjulian]

Fozzie took Jason Ryan…who was part of Razor’s original coaching team ffs

[@olwethusilo7155]

Martin please get Steve Hansen on before the World Cup.

[@raf4992]

Foster was forced by the NZR into saving his own arse, by taking on 2 Real Quality Coaches...

[@broderickfall]

stop this nasty narrative. Foster was man enough to accept help when he needed it, and the coaching team needed fresh ideas anyway

[@maxhart7907]

@@broderickfall man enough? 😂He had 2 options - back his coaching team and fall on his sword or sack his two assistants and save his own ass.

[@rangik7221]

​@@broderickfall 😂😂😂

[@rogue_luko]

Mex' is an astute analyst and commentator of the game, but for him to claim that South Africa is the ''best side in the world' is odd. Ireland and France can lay claim to that title.

[@cmobutts270]

Mexted was spot wait till razor takes over .

[@simonlesternicholas5311]

Who’s the current world champions 😮

[@raymonditi4596]

na you guys got it wrong.the main reason allblacks are performing well is yes the coaching and the main fact is most players have got 2nd string players breathing down there necks trying to get in the allblacks.this is making the regular players play well or else theyll get replaced .we have to let the players who havent played play and play well and rest alot of the regulars.weve seen the regulars and have confidence in them,but keep them fresh and wanting dont play them week after week expecting them to get better.they are better right now by world cup time if you keep playing them theyll be tired and burnt out ..remember allblacks beat sa early in last world cup then lost in last crucial game against england and sa won the cup.go figure.if the second string players play well that will push the regulars to play even better and foster will get a good gauge on the 2nd string ones as well .

[@donaldelley2802]

Old-school and correct - play the same team

[@AcaciaSands]

Nah...change the whole 15...safe from injuries, last chance for selections, and experience. Cohesion can come later...win or lose against France in the Pool dosnt matter...knock-out stages matter.

[@dionsands3113]

Jeez Murray boks lost 35-20 to abs and JUST beat argentina.Why the nonsense they're the best team in world-nowhere near it.

[@babu7141]

SAF are far from the best team in the world! He is sleeping on Ireland and France.......Ireland is still the biggest threat given they beat France, SAF and the All Blacks last year.

[@bensutherland5066]

New Assistant coaches. Foster is still fairly rubbish.

[@LifeOutLoud.]

Boks best in the world???? What are you talking about.

[@SweetMana24]

I think Mex was trying to say SA are the current World Champions. I would like to see at least four to five changes in the AB starting lineup.

[@SweetMana24]

..for next week.

[@joedennehy386]

Holders of the world cup

[@joedennehy386]

And youve lost your camera again. Ridiculous

[@paulthomson2288]

Really!? the wallabies have fallen off the rails, the pumas have never been consistent and the Springboks put the wrong team on the field. And let's not forget that the Northern hemisphere is without doubt stronger. Save the crystal ball gazing for wizard's.

[@rory7590]

When you say the “Northern Hemisphere’ do you include England and Wales in that? Last time I heard, they weren’t doing that well either. Ireland and France have found their teams in the ascendency for the last few years, but it still remains to be seen how they will fare in the WC. The notion of their being a big gap between NH and SH is overstated.

[@paulthomson2288]

The wc is a tournament and upsets will happen especially given the vagaries of officiating. Nthn hemisphere rugby is marginally stronger at the moment in my humble opinion.

[@tristanmckenzie1623]

​@rory7590 well said. I'd argue Ireland and France being 'just' the good teams of the North. Scotland are a bit of a dark horse of the NH teams. They are no mugs. But Wales, England and Italy are struggling but you'd still be foolish to underestimate England in a world cup . But aussie and NZ showed in the end of year tour last year that the contests were tough. Aussie narrowly lost to Ireland and France, same with SA. But end of the day NZ can only play what's infront of them so it's a tick so far from there 3 matches with 1 to go.

[@nzfreeski]

the boks are 4th in the world not the best - great stuff tho ABs

[@bolivianbillionaire1349]

Mexted is always good value.. why in christ's name is there no video???

[@gibbogle]

We could have a video of the phone ...