All Blacks laid low by illness
Five years ago Scott Robertson contemplated ditching the coaching scene in New Zealand for the sunny south of France.
Robertson, then in charge of Canterbury, had been approached by former French great Serge Blanco to take charge of Biarritz.
Blanco had big ideas, too. He wanted to elevate Biarritz back into the Top 14 competition, and believed Robertson was the man to help make it happen.
Robertson, who played for French club Perpignan for a few seasons when his All Blacks career ended, declined the chance to uproot his wife and three children from Christchurch, but not before he investigated Blanco’s offer.
‘‘It was a big decision to stay in New Zealand because I was really keen to go over there and have a crack at being in France,’’ Robertson told The Press at the time, ‘‘especially when you consider the lifestyle and what the euro can offer’’.
It’s common knowledge Robertson likes the ocean (rather than surf, these days he hoons about on a paddle board thanks to his damaged knees) and Biarritz is a terrific destination for waves, sand and UV rays.
The financial package offered by Blanco must have been tempting, too. Robertson did his homework before opting to stay in New Zealand.
He spoke to former Crusaders coach Robbie Deans; he reminded Robertson that he was still a young coach, and there would be opportunities to go abroad in the future.
Robertson also spoke to several men who had played for Biarritz, and investigated the club’s background and how it contracted its players. There was also some risk involved, because the club had been relegated to the D2 competition and there was going to be immense pressure on him to turn its fortunes around.
‘‘I had to be pragmatic,’’ Robertson said. ‘‘There could have been really good short-term gains but the best option is to stay.’’
The rest is history.
Robertson remained loyal to Canterbury, having his contracted extended to 2016.
He was also elevated to the job of coaching the New Zealand under-20 team in 2015, and replaced Todd Blackadder as Crusaders head coach in 2017. Illness has put an early spanner in the works of the first All Blacks training camp, with star Hurricanes Beauden Barrett and Ardie Savea not even well enough to join Steve Hansen’s squad in Auckland.
Hansen has assembled the non-Crusaders members of his 39-man squad for the first two Rugby Championship matches in Auckland for the first wave of preparation ahead of the trip to Buenos Aires for the opener against the Pumas on July 20.
But the All Blacks coach confirmed yesterday at the team hotel that they had had to make do without a quartet of Hurricanes players who have been struck down by sickness, with Barrett and Savea remaining bedridden back in the capital.
‘‘We’ve got a few down with illness [among] the Hurricanes boys,’’ Hansen said. ‘‘Beaudy and Ardie didn’t even get here and two more, Jordie [Barrett] and [Asafo] Aumua are both down as well. There’s no point risking it, so they’re tucked up in bed away from everyone else so we don’t all get it.’’
The All Blacks in Auckland all return to their homes today and the non-Crusaders players will
The Super Rugby title drought was immediately broken.
The super-enthusiastic Robertson breezed into the Crusaders and instilled the team with the confidence and belief required to qualify for the Super Rugby playoffs, and they beat the Lions in the final in Johannesburg.
In doing so, the Crusaders became the first team from outside the Republic to win a title on African soil. Last year the Crusaders beat the Lions again, this time in Christchurch.
Robertson has demonstrated he can make bold decisions. His first task in 2017 was to take the captaincy off All Blacks skipper Kieran Read, and give it to Sam Whitelock.
Last year Robertson made the tough call to leave departing club legend Wyatt Crockett out of the match-day 23 for the final. Given everything the popular Crockett had done for the Crusaders – he played more than 200 games since 2006 – the general consensus among many fans was that he deserved a fitting send-off.
Robertson refused to bow to sentiment, naming Joe Moody at loosehead prop and Tim Perry on the bench. It was the right call for the team, explained Robertson, describing it as ‘‘the hardest decision I have made as a coach’’.
The Crusaders beat the Lions 37-18 in the final. Robertson is now a contender to replace Steve Hansen as All Blacks coach when he retires after the World Cup in Japan, having confirmed he will request an interview later in the year. Ian Foster, Hansen’s assistant since 2012, is probably the leading candidate although the odds could shift dramatically if the All Blacks fail to deliver in the finals.
But Robertson will know that it will be foolish to get ahead of himself. His immediate task is to guide the Crusaders to a win over the Jaguares in the final in Christchurch tomorrow night.
Then he can talk about the All Blacks job. reassemble in Auckland next Tuesday to start preparation for Argentina. The Crusaders contingent will join them on Thursday, and the group playing in BA will head out on Friday, minus the coaches.
‘‘We’ll stay with the Crusaders group from Thursday to Saturday, then they head home and we are on the plane Sunday,’’ Hansen said.
He said the aim was to take around 29-30 players to Argentina – a group that will include few, if any, from the Crusaders who play the Super Rugby final in Christchurch tomorrow night.