Bledisloe Cup rugby: Wallabies coach Dave Rennie reveals why players won’t kneel against the All Blacks

Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has confirmed that his team will not kneel before the start of Test 3 of the Bledisloe Cup against the All Blacks next weekend.

Reports from Australia suggested that the team was seriously considering the move. Such action would reflect what was seen around the world, primarily in the United States, as part of the Black Lives Matter movement.

He has come across different points of view from the other side of the ditch with former Australian captain Nick Farr-Jones believing he could alienate fans from an already struggling game, while former Wallaby Peter FitzSimons told Heather du Plessis-Allan from Newstalk ZB who loves the idea.

But Rennie says there was a unanimous decision not to kneel after meetings with the leaders and the playgroup.

“The key is that it is about honoring our indigenous peoples and we want the focus to be on that,” he adds. “Everyone has their own opinions on the situation, but we want to focus on reflecting on our history and our past.

“We are not looking to make a political statement.”

Instead, the Kiwi-born coach would like to see more representation of First Nations, which recognizes Aborigines as Australia’s first.

“We have certainly talked about the indigenous jersey, as a group that we would like to see represented every week with our test jersey, not just as a one-time. I think this is the first step in embracing that part of our history. .

“First Nations are part of our DNA and it should be reflected in that we do it every day, not just once or twice a year.”

The Wallabies revealed an indigenous sweater, which they will wear during the third tryout next weekend in Sydney. The last time they wore an indigenous strip was against the All Blacks in 2017, in a 23-18 win.

Rennie is a huge fan of design and the idea of ​​going back to the cultural roots of a country.

“I coached the Chiefs for six years where there is a strong Maori flavor in that jersey and I reflected the history of our region. They are often very good storytellers, so I think it’s very important, I know the players love it and they will wear it proudly next week, “he says.