Robertson staying out of ABs saga
Scott Robertson hears the noise, but has nothing to say regarding the coaching saga enveloping the All Blacks.
Back at the Crusaders’ Rugby Park headquarters in Christchurch after a taking a break in Fiji, he made that abundantly clear yesterday when contacted.
His ‘‘no comment’’ shouldn’t come as a surprise, and was the same response he gave when questioned on the All Blacks’ struggles at the conclusion of last year’s northern tour.
Indeed, the man who missed out on the top job to Ian Foster in 2019, and whom some are calling to take over the struggling team, knows better than to pipe up regarding a fellow New Zealand Rugby employee, one under pressure to keep his job after the governing body vowed to review the ‘‘unacceptable’’ series defeat to Ireland.
So, as the NZR board plans to meet today in the aftermath of the All Blacks’ first series loss on home soil since 1994, Robertson was only willing to discuss the team he’s laserfocused on guiding to yet another Super Rugby title next year.
He’s got a coaching-related situation of his own to address, given he’s in the process of appointing a replacement for Leinster-bound Andrew Goodman.
Just who joins Robertson and assistants Scott Hansen, Jason Ryan and Tamati Ellison should be clear in the coming weeks.
Blacks’ greatest flankers – felt Dalton Papali’i could have the potential to develop into a decent blindside and ‘‘fill the role of Jerome Kaino’’, but he said Akira Ioane – a try-scorer in the third test – should be used more.
‘‘If he gets going, he’s unstoppable, but I don’t know how much they use him. He’s got the ability to beat guys, he’s quick and he’s big, what’s the point of having him there if he doesn’t get used more.’’
Losing to Ireland would ‘‘give the All Blacks a real shake-up mentally’’, and going to South Africa for ‘‘two tests on the veld’’ in Mbombela (formerly Nelspruit) and Johannesburg’s Ellis Park would be physically exacting, but, like Wyllie, Kirkpatrick was hoping to see a turnaround.
Meanwhile, Laurie Mains – who succeeded Wyllie as All Blacks coach in 1992 – told the Tova Weekdays radio show that he could sympathise with the pressure Foster was under, but something had to change.
‘‘You just have to have the rugby knowledge and the determination, which is what All Blacks rugby is all about.’’
But Mains reiterated: ‘‘I have a great deal of sympathy for Ian Foster, he’s been a long-term servant to rugby and I’m sure he’s always done his best, and I’m not about to join the crucifixion party.’’