Arsenal: Mikel Arteta explains how New Zealand rugby stars are inspiring Gunners title push

Mikel Arteta has described New Zealand rugby head coach Scott Robertson as an “inspiration” to him and says Arsenal have learned lessons from the All Blacks’ culture.

New Zealand have been in London this week as they prepare to face England at Twickenham on Saturday.

The All Blacks visited Arsenal’s training ground on Wednesday, where they met men and women’s captains Martin Odegaard and Kim Little, while the first-team squad and Arteta were in in Preston for a Carabao Cup fourth-round game.

Arteta has revealed how Robertson is a coach he looks up to, and he has tried to learn from the All Blacks’ setup.

Mikel Arteta on his learnings from New Zealand rugby

“I have a good relationship with Razor, their head coach,” said Arteta. “He’s an inspiration, he’s such a character. It was a shame that the day that we were leaving [to play Preston], they were coming. We tried to set it up at different times. It was difficult to do, but yeah, I know them very well.”

Arteta’s interest in the All Blacks led him to read James Kerr’s book ‘Legacy’, a few years ago. The book explores the leadership principles and cultural values that have made New Zealand one of the most successful sporting teams in history.

“I recommend it to everybody,” said Arteta. “It talks about them and their culture and their winning mentality and how they approach sport, life, and relationships is really inspiring.

“I then had the chance to meet [Robertson] and we are in one of the groups together. So it’s been great.”

Asked specifically what he has taken from the All Blacks and brought to Arsenal, Arteta said: “It’s especially about the culture and the importance of clarity, or what it means when you put on a jersey.

“The sense of belonging to something. When somebody plays with that feeling, I think it elevates his level of commitment, it elevates his capacity to perform and impact the organisation in a different way.”