PremiumUpdatedMike ThorpeSenior journalist·NZ Herald·30 Jun, 2026 07:09 PM5 mins to read‌Assistant coach Neil Barnes watches the All Blacks train at Christ’s College ahead of their match against France on Saturday. Photo / Anna Heath. If the previous All Blacks coaching regime served up word salad, then new assistant Neil Barnes brings “meat and three veg” communication. The straight-talking Taranaki dairy farmer doesn’t mince words or milk superlatives.

“We want to get back to the top, win a world cup – but we won’t