Mike Blair, a former captain of the Scotland national rugby team who earned 85 caps, is now in his seventh Test as attack coach for New Zealand’s All Blacks. Since taking on the role in June, Blair has helped guide the team to victories over France, Ireland, Italy, and South Africa, although they lost three of four Tests in a recent series against the world champions. Blair moved directly from his coaching role in Japan, where he worked alongside Dave Rennie, to New Zealand, starting his new position just three days after finishing in Japan. He will return to Scotland in November to coach against his former team in a match at Murrayfield, which he calls “weird and cool.” Blair is now working with some of the most skilled backs in world rugby, including Jordie Barrett, Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, and Damian McKenzie. He notes that the All Blacks’ players have a strong understanding of Scotland’s attacking style, which has gained more recognition in recent years. Blair admits that the level of talent and rugby intelligence among the All Blacks is higher than he initially expected. He describes the shift from coaching in Japan and Edinburgh to the All Blacks as “eye-opening, different, challenging, and a lot of fun.” Blair and Rennie share a long-standing professional relationship, having previously coached together at Glasgow Warriors and reuniting in Japan. Rennie, who took over as head coach from Scott Robertson, is described by Blair as a mentor who provides guidance when needed but trusts his coaching staff. Blair recalls a period of uncertainty after Rennie’s appointment, during which he waited for confirmation of his role due to time zone differences. Blair’s first games as attack coach included wins over France, Ireland, and Italy, followed by a tough four-Test series against South Africa. New Zealand won the first match in Johannesburg with a dominant five-try to one victory, but lost the next three. Despite the losses, Blair points out that the team showed improvement in their attacking play, with more line breaks and tries scored. However, South Africa’s physical strength and tactical play secured the series. Blair remains confident in the team’s potential, stating that South Africa is not unbeatable and that there is still work to be done. He has two remaining Tests against Australia before heading back to Scotland for the Murrayfield match.