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Hamish Bidwell

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.

284 Articles
Opinion

It’s nice to hear Justin Marshall say the quiet part out loud

We can’t know for sure if Robertson really did hear that he was out as All Blacks coach at the same time as the rest of us. That…

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
25 Feb 2026, 18:33
Opinion

What is 'New Zealand rugby' nowadays?

The All Blacks are losing to teams at their own game, rather than playing the New Zealand one Wilson and the rest of us remember s…

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
19 Feb 2026, 16:56
Opinion

No CEO, no head coach, but the All Blacks can fire pot shots at Australia

No All Blacks coach, no chief executive, no chief financial officer, no chief commercial officer, no head of high performance, no …

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
04 Feb 2026, 17:02
Opinion

The constant in the All Blacks’ struggles is not the coaches

I’m not too bothered about who New Zealand Rugby appoints as the next national coach, nor the criteria that’s been set. I mean…

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
30 Jan 2026, 17:17
Opinion

It'll take a brave individual to coach these All Blacks

To borrow a line from Mr T, “I pity the fool’’ who’s going to try and coach the All Blacks. The team was once run as a dic…

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
23 Jan 2026, 20:07
Opinion

Jason Holland's All Blacks exit remains a head-scratcher

It’s not like the All Blacks don’t sack coaches. We only have to look back to assistants John Plumtree and Brad Mooar getting …

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
09 Jan 2026, 19:24
Opinion

Six favours the All Blacks need from Santa's little helpers

I only have a few things on my list of rugby Christmas wishes from Santa this year. None of them are too much to ask, either.

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
18 Dec 2025, 16:02
Opinion

Everyone knows Robertson is not supposed to be doing the coaching

After a fine playing career that included 23 tests for the All Blacks, Robertson was looking for a way to stay in the game. 

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
02 Dec 2025, 22:29
Opinion

The All Blacks were clearly the better team in Chicago with a proper bench

Better still, there was impact off the bench. Wallace Sititi, Leicester Fainga’anuku and Tamaiti Williams all impressed, while J…

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
04 Nov 2025, 21:28
Opinion

What is the point in Jason Holland sticking around with the All Blacks

Holland loves the game, thinks deeply about it and, again, is just a thoroughly decent fellow. He just shouldn’t be in Chicago w…

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
30 Oct 2025, 16:11
Opinion

Wayne Smith and Tony Brown revealed where they believe the All Blacks are

Neither roundly endorsed the tactics and selections of All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. Rather, they hinted at there being room f…

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
21 Oct 2025, 22:37
Opinion

There is no reason why All Blacks can't go unbeaten on tour

The All Blacks were largely outstanding in beating both England and Ireland and lost no admirers in their 30-29 defeat to France.Â…

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
14 Oct 2025, 19:50
Opinion

Flavour of the month selections for the All Blacks are not viable long-term

Only a handful of established All Blacks have maintained or improved on their previous standards since Scott Robertson and company…

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
07 Oct 2025, 17:43
Opinion

Like it or not, the All Blacks look better without Scott Barrett as captain

For all the reverence with which Robertson spoke about the injured skipper on Thursday, I sincerely doubt most fans hold Barrett i…

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
25 Sep 2025, 18:40
Opinion

The biggest threat to the All Blacks is the All Blacks

We’ve become so accustomed to All Blacks replacements causing performances to deteriorate, that it’s hard not to assume that 

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
16 Sep 2025, 20:31
Opinion

Eden Park was great but the Springboks will win by 15 now

The Springbok team that played at Eden Park was too old. I think they played a style of rugby unsuited to the conditions and I tho…

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
09 Sep 2025, 19:33
Opinion

We’ve seen good players get worse within the All Blacks

At some stage the actual All Blacks coaches and players have to take responsibility for their circumstances and find a way to impr…

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
05 Sep 2025, 1:12
Opinion

The All Blacks used to be about the never-ending pursuit of perfection

While I firmly believe the All Blacks will rouse themselves for the occasion on September 6, I still harbour grave doubts about th…

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
26 Aug 2025, 22:44
Opinion

The rolling maul is the antidote for the All Blacks in this era

The All Blacks struggled to build phases against the Pumas in Cordoba. There were a variety of reasons for that, including that th…

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
20 Aug 2025, 20:44
Opinion

Scott Robertson is flirting with too much of a good thing

I see the logic in what All Blacks coach Scott Robertson is trying to do. Depth helps. Just ask Rassie Erasmus.

Hamish Bidwell
Hamish Bidwell
16 Aug 2025, 1:52
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