Opinion
International Rugby
This All Black team is full of Chiefs who haven't won anything
37
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Contributors
Hamish Bidwell
@HamishBidwell
Hamish has been an opinion and sports writer for over 20 years in New Zealand, featuring on RNZ, New Zealand Herald, Stuff.co.nz, and RugbyPass.
304 Articles
Latest
International Rugby
All Blacks need to knock the front door down first
37
15 days ago
International Rugby
Springboks' brawn was impressive at Ellis Park
6
22 days ago
International Rugby
The All Blacks' selection policy just got a lot less sentimental
9
25 days ago
International Rugby
Loose forwards are NZ's best ever
14
33 days ago
Opinion
All Blacks tour of South Africa is a fact-finding mission for next year
I wonder who else remembers that game. You should do, given how much we bang on about the All Blacks’ run of unbeaten games at E…
Hamish Bidwell
04 Aug 2026, 20:19
24
Opinion
The All Blacks captain shouldn't need a rest after a sabbatical
If Ardie Savea has a personal or family issue to attend to, fine. The birth of a child, good as gold. But if the All Blacks captai…
Hamish Bidwell
27 Jul 2026, 17:51
143
Opinion
Losses to the Springboks will be a learning experience, not a disaster
What’s more, after the really strange and underwhelming Scott Robertson era, I think these players actually want to be coached a…
Hamish Bidwell
20 Jul 2026, 20:24
60
Opinion
The All Blacks don't need the Eden Park record
The All Blacks are two games into a new coaching era. They’re embedding a new first five-eighth and trying different combination…
Hamish Bidwell
15 Jul 2026, 23:27
11
Opinion
This feels like a formidable All Blacks squad but the benchmark is perfection
The All Blacks’ explosiveness and athleticism enabled them to overcome the French and I’d be disappointed if that obscured the…
Hamish Bidwell
07 Jul 2026, 19:17
13
Opinion
There's only one selection that truly matters for the All Blacks this July
The All Blacks are relevant again. People will watch, and people will get back on the bandwagon, having kind of given up in disgus…
Hamish Bidwell
29 Jun 2026, 22:14
124
Opinion
Selections aside, Dave Rennie is pushing the right buttons with All Blacks
Everyone wants winners and losers out of any team naming. Frankly, when the net’s cast this wide, those kinds of categories are …
Hamish Bidwell
23 Jun 2026, 22:49
54
Opinion
There are only so many former glories that All Blacks selectors can cling to
I think we’d all agree that Beauden Barrett will be in the first All Blacks test squad of the season. Just as, we’d also have…
Hamish Bidwell
17 Jun 2026, 20:39
71
Opinion
Tana Umaga's 'shine' concession shows NZR aware of new reality
I now have some confidence in New Zealand Rugby being able to consistently make good decisions, and I also have a strong belief th…
Hamish Bidwell
03 Jun 2026, 19:21
1
Opinion
We're finally going to see what Scott Hansen's really capable of
Rob Penney needed to go as Crusaders head coach. It was right that the franchise stood by Penney after a poor start to his tenure,…
Hamish Bidwell
27 May 2026, 19:13
22
Opinion
It's premature to anoint Ruben Love as the All Blacks No.10 without winning anything
One of the consequences of Super Rugby’s evolution into a one-game comp, is that it’s premature to properly evaluate Hurricane…
Hamish Bidwell
20 May 2026, 16:31
48
Opinion
Graham Henry's return to the All Blacks brings confidence
New Zealand Rugby and All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie are doing things that make sense and engender confidence.
Hamish Bidwell
12 May 2026, 15:05
7
Opinion
New Zealand isn’t in a position to bid goodbye to players easily
Rugby in this country becomes significantly weaker when we lose seasoned Super Rugby players or All Blacks of recent vintage.
Hamish Bidwell
07 May 2026, 2:21
27
Opinion
The elephant in the room with the Super Rugby model
Super Rugby can work, provided everyone’s happy to take a significant haircut. We pay athletes too much money. Not just here, bu…
Hamish Bidwell
28 Apr 2026, 18:30
26
Opinion
About this latest chapter in the transformation of the All Blacks
Gilbert Enoka gets the All Blacks. Heck, he's as much a part of the culture of that team as some of the great men who've worn the …
Hamish Bidwell
21 Apr 2026, 16:29
15
Opinion
Ardie Savea doesn't need to return to Super Rugby in 2027
As long as Ardie Savea spends a few months playing in New Zealand next year, I don't really care where it is.
Hamish Bidwell
17 Apr 2026, 17:56
32
Opinion
What logic is there to bringing back Brodie Retallick
Brodie Retallick would be one of the better All Blacks I’ve seen. Rugged and skillful, he was everything you could possibly wan…
Hamish Bidwell
08 Apr 2026, 19:04
21
Opinion
The All Blacks need Rennie, but they also need the public
And exactly what we need in order for rugby and the All Blacks to be viewed with the kind of affection that’s currently reserved…
Hamish Bidwell
31 Mar 2026, 14:39
49
Opinion
The adults are now in charge of the All Blacks
Sure, it was probably inevitable that Neil Barnes would join Dave Rennie’s All Blacks coaching group, but it’s welcome news no…
Hamish Bidwell
24 Mar 2026, 15:18
18
Opinion
Dave Rennie can't make the same mistake as Razor with the All Blacks
In a rugby sense, Rennie will have his hands full. His entire repertoire of people skills are going to be required to cajole the p…
Hamish Bidwell
23 Mar 2026, 14:30
18
