Mike Blair, the 45-year-old Scotsman, has taken on the role of assistant coach for the New Zealand All Blacks, becoming the first foreigner to hold that position. Responsible for the team's attacking strategy, Blair has faced scrutiny given New Zealand’s long-standing rugby traditions and their emphasis on attacking flair, a hallmark of Kiwi rugby pride.

Blair, who previously stepped down as head coach of Edinburgh after recognizing he preferred a more focused coaching role, acknowledged the challenges of integrating into a team known for its intuitive style. From his first day, he emphasized to the attacking group that the approach would be a collective effort rather than his own system. “It’s not my attack, it’s our attack,” he said, underscoring his collaborative leadership style and willingness to adapt if players suggested better ways of executing plays.

Since joining the All Blacks under the leadership of head coach Dave Rennie, who succeeded Scott Robertson in a coaching overhaul, Blair has found the environment more welcoming than he anticipated. Having previously worked alongside Rennie at Glasgow Warriors and with the Kobe Steelers in Japan, Blair highlighted the trust and understanding they share. Rennie, he said, has confidence in Blair’s contributions, despite there being other attack coaches internationally with potentially more experience.

Blair also reflected on his own playing career, including his involvement in the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa. He admitted to feeling that he missed an opportunity to push harder during that tour to become first-choice scrum half. This experience has motivated him to pursue success with the All Blacks not just as an assistant coach, but as a potential World Cup champion.

The All Blacks have already had a strong start under the new coaching regime, defeating France, Ireland, and Italy in recent matches and averaging 40 points scored per game. Looking ahead, the team is preparing for a challenging series of four Tests in South Africa, as well as facing the country’s four United Rugby Championship sides. Blair described the upcoming tour as a significant test, noting South Africa's depth and talent, with the ability to field multiple strong squads during the tour.

Blair praised Rennie’s calm and composed approach, pointing to his head coach’s confidence and savvy in managing the pressures of media and social attention in today’s social media-driven environment. Rennie’s steadiness is seen as an asset amidst the intense scrutiny surrounding matches against the Springboks.

While the team’s current focus remains on building cohesion, Blair and Rennie have relied heavily on the Hurricanes’ backline talent, including players like Cam Roigard, Ruben Love, Jordie Barrett, and Josh Moorby. Notably absent so far is Beauden Barrett, a 2015 World Cup winner, who has accepted his recent exclusion from the squad with professionalism, according to Blair.

With just over a year to the World Cup, Blair and the coaching staff aim to develop the squad’s capability both on and off the field, viewing the demanding South African tour as a valuable opportunity to evaluate player resilience, adaptability, and collective strength ahead of rugby’s premier competition.