Podcast: National skills coach Mick Byrne says New Zealand rugby’s extraordinary run against Australia is down to respect

Christy DoranFOX SPORTS

NEW ZEALAND is enjoying unprecedented success against Australian opposition, having won a remarkable 34 straight Super Rugby matches. And national skills coach Mick Byrne says the continued success is down to one important factor.

New Zealand is enjoying unprecedented success against Australian Super Rugby opposition, having won a remarkable 34 straight Super Rugby matches in a run that dates back to round 14, 2016, when the Waratahs beat the Chiefs in Sydney.

The extraordinary run of results led to Brumbies coach Dan McKellar questioning whether New Zealand rugby sides had lost their respect of Australian rugby last week.

The claims were made after Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd said in a post-match press conference following their 50-19 second-half blitz over the Rebels late last month that their inability to put in 80 minute performances was cruelling them.

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NEW PODCAST! National Skills Coach Mick Byrne joins Greg Clark, Nick McArdle and Christy Doran talking why New Zealand rugby respects Australia, Wallabies, Brad Thorn and Quade Cooper, and Israel Folau.

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National skills coach Mick Byrne watches on as Bernard Foley practises his kicking in Wellington.
Camera IconNational skills coach Mick Byrne watches on as Bernard Foley practises his kicking in Wellington. Credit: Supplied

But Byrne, who spent more than a decade with New Zealand rugby as their skills coach and won two World Cups with the All Blacks, said that their continued success was down to mutual respect.

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“I will challenge the disrespect (notion),” Byrne told the Fox Rugby Podcast.

“One of the reasons why New Zealand teams lift up against Australian teams is because they respect them.

“If you don’t respect somebody you’re going to slip up. If you don’t respect something it’s going to come back to bite you at some stage. The only reason why things don’t come back to bite you is you’ve actually got the respect.

“Maybe that just part of the plan that they have (to rattle Australians). And let’s be fair, last year there were a number of results against New Zealand sides — I think back to the Reds-Crusaders — the Reds were 17-0 up at home, going really well, and the Crusaders won with the last kick of the game.

“There’s a little bit of reality there that says while they keep doing it they’ll probably keep saying it.

“It’s up to us to change that.

“I understand what Dan’s saying is that there is a feeling that New Zealand sides don’t respect us.

“But I can tell you now from being over there it’s the exact opposite.

“The reason why they step us is because of the respect that they have.

“Because who are the teams that have beaten New Zealand into Super Rugby titles in the last five or six years and who’s the team that’s beaten the All Blacks the most over the last 10 years?

“It’s been Australian teams or Australia so it’s not that they don’t respect Australian teams.

“What they do know is if they take their finger off the button the Australian teams will come and get them.”

LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW IN OUR PODCAST ABOVE!