Fiji-born winger Sevu Reece is relishing his experience with the All Blacks under the guidance of head coach Scott Robertson and a new set of coaches in the prestigious rugby program. Robertson took over the head coaching duties from Ian Foster following last year’s Rugby World Cup in France. While forwards coach Jason Ryan remains from Foster’s coaching staff, the other assistants are new to their roles.
Robertson and Ryan are supported by Jason Holland (backs coach), Leon MacDonald (attack coach), Scott Hansen (defence coach), and Tamati Ellison, who serves as the contact skills coach. Additionally, seasoned coach Wayne Smith is contributing as a performance coach.
Reece, who missed the entire 2023 Test season due to an ACL injury, made a strong return with the Crusaders in the Super Rugby Pacific, finishing the season as a joint-top scorer despite a difficult year for the team. As the All Blacks prepare for the international campaign in 2024, the 26-Test veteran expressed his enthusiasm for working alongside the new coaching team.
“I’ve been fortunate to work with all of these coaches here, and it’s very exciting times for New Zealand rugby,” he stated in an interview. “They are great individuals off the field, and the squad selected has faced many questions. I believe they have a promising game plan, which is thrilling.”
Reece, one of four wingers in the All Blacks squad alongside Mark Tele’a, Caleb Clarke, and Emoni Narawa, acknowledged the intense competition among the speedy players in the camp. “There are a lot of wingers, and I believe this will be a strong competitive environment,” he noted playfully considering other positions he could play, including half-back.