Dave Rennie isn't walking back the All Blacks' aerial game despite the Springboks exposing it throughout the Rugby Championship series. The piece digs into his reasoning: the tactic worked well enough against July opposition, where deeper kicks gave New Zealand time to retreat, link, and recycle at tempo. South Africa's short, targeted aerial game was a different problem entirely — and Rennie acknowledges as much. His argument is that retreating under the ball isn't about catching uncontested anymore (that era ended with World Rugby's escort ban), but about blocking chasers and keeping possession flowing. The Boks simply found a way around it. Rennie also addresses back-three selection, making clear that aerial ability is a factor but not the dominant one — he's picking for finishing, defensive range, and versatility first. The broader takeaway is that the All Blacks are still embedding a high-tempo, possession-heavy system under Rennie, and seven Tests in, he believes the squad is close to executing it properly. Whether that reads as measured optimism or stubborn persistence is the question this piece leaves hanging.