Razor ‘grilled’ at ABs interview
Graham Henry ‘put me in a corner’
Scott Robertson has revealed Graham Henry gave him the biggest grilling when he interviewed for the All Blacks head coach’s job in December.
Robertson, who was overlooked when Ian Foster was promoted from assistant to replace the outgoing Steve Hansen after the World Cup in Japan, has no regrets about the way he presented during the interview but offered an insight into how tough an adversary former All Blacks coach Henry was during the interrogation.
Henry, who coached the All Blacks between 2004 and 2011, was one of five people on the selection panel. The others were NZ Rugby CEO Mark Robinson, board chairman Brent Impey, NZ Rugby head of high performance Mike Anthony and former Silver Ferns netball coach Waimarama Taumaunu.
Robertson, who had moulded a perfect record with the Crusaders by guiding them to three consecutive Super Rugby titles, had reason to feel optimistic when he entered the race against Foster.
He said he was satisfied with his presentation, and then openedup the floor for questions.
Henry, an ex-headmaster of a boys’ secondary school, didn’t disappoint.
Robertson, speaking on Will Greenwood’s Podcast on Sky Sports, said he welcomed the chance to be put under heat and Henry proved to be a tough customer when it came to demanding answers.
While Robertson told Greenwood, a former England and British and Irish Lions player, he didn’t want to go into detail about the questions that put him on the back foot he offered a glimpse of how tough an adversary Henry could be in such a situation.
‘‘But it was probably around my decision making and he [Henry] challenged me on it,’’ Robertson said.
‘‘And what my thoughts [were] around why I was doing a couple of things and is that right . . . It was quite a challenging moment.
‘‘It made me think. I felt like I hadn’t articulated myself, probably, as well as I could have and should have. That is good. You want that in those situations. But Ted is a wise old man and fully respect to him for doing it.’’
Robertson, who has one more year remaining on his contract at the Crusaders, hasn’t given up on his dream of coaching the All Blacks but indicated he may want to have a shot at coaching in France first.
A colourful character, known for his breakdance routine when celebrating title wins, he said he left no stone unturned when he received his invitation for the job interview.
He joked he even purchased a new suit for the presentation, which he repeatedly rehearsed before declaring: ‘‘I thought ‘bugger it, ‘I am just going to get up there and be myself’.
‘‘I had a short video and presented. I was really pleased with how I presented and then the questions just came at me.’’
Henry led the charge during the Q and A session, and Robertson reiterated he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
‘‘I wanted them to challenge me.
Graham Henry was really deep.
‘‘He put me in a corner a couple of times, and wouldn’t let me out, which I loved. I knew they [the tough questions] were coming. I just did my best. I walked out of there thinking ‘they know what they are going to get, they know how I am going to coach it’.
‘‘I believe I had the rugby public knowing I was going to give everything and a potential change is what the All Blacks needed.
‘‘But I respect the process, respect the guys that ran it. They feel that Fozzie had more experience in his coaching group, probably had more of what they wanted.
‘‘And it is about the continuity, great that is a decision they made. But I will get it another time.’’
Robertson, who had previously won titles with Canterbury and the New Zealand under-20 teams, is a former All Blacks loose forward.
He believes he could have made a ‘‘real difference’’ if he had been appointed to the top job because he had coached the bulk of the All
Blacks, mostly through his connection with them at the Crusaders.
He also unveiled a blueprint he believed would help the All Blacks win back the Webb Ellis Cup in France in 2023.
In doing so, he wanted to convey to the panel that he was able to look at the bigger picture and be prepared to invest in players who could bring success at the next World Cup.
‘‘I planned out 2023 in France. I had given, pretty much, the World Cup squad I thought it would look like and was really clear the players that you weren’t sure of . . . and what (sic) you would grow, some depth over the next four years.
‘‘And how many caps all those players would have by that time. You would have like a team work index, a TWI that we talk a lot about a lot, around how many players that have played together for team cohesion to perform under pressure.’’