Ex-All Black fuels speculation of rift between Robertson's coaching staff

He is hard to listen to, I agree. Most of the time, he sounds new-agey confusing so if he is game-planning like that, it might explain the confused mediocre attack we have been seeing out of these ABs. Players need to ignore all the “care” and “love” platitudes and focus on skills, moves and structures to unleash their talent.

Agree with that.

My view is that Robertson has been found out a bit at the Test level, and his inability to manage his coaches has led to McDonald and Holland leaving, which reflects a lack of Mgmt skills.

Doesn’t he get credit for this? These are people who were question their qualifications and ability at the beginning. It just sounds like you’ve been waiting for a chance to jump on him. Are you trying to tell me you believed his orginal group was of the required quality to win a WC and should have not been let go?

If he had been brought into the ABs as an Assistant for a couple of years to both learn the level and also grow his man mgmt experience, it could be a very different picture.

I think the most obvious insight is that it was all thrown away when the decided to go with Foster over Robertson. Not being able to get Joseph, Joe, Tony, on his team then because of the constant delaying, and in a much easy environment with his own club players, would obviously have produced much better results than what we got from Foster. Then when the likes of Joe weren’t going to commit to a role for 2024, he would have been in a better spot to do with such expertise.

It’s not that it really has anything to do with International experience (those are not simply the mistakes he’s making), they simply lack any pedigree full stop, surely? A lack of international experience would just stop them reaching full potential, not cause they to flap away aimlessly.

I don’t know why anyone would think they would drop any of these NH games. This current situation is about 3 things I can point to, previously in season one it was a lack of finish, to reach the top 2% extra, this year it has been both the apathy of performance at in Wellington and a lack of vision that SA were going to be this good and that Razor would need to match him with vision. Instead he just continued to do the same thing, which still keeps them well above everyone else (but doesn’t help him bridge that gap ASAP), and the giving up thing only effects very unique circumstances (though something of major concern if they are to win in 2027. Theres no reason to be worried about the upcoming opposition.

I would predict Razor’s position is only likely to strengthen, with him getting more of what he wants, with a new CEO. They’d have to reverse a trend of appointments started with the structural rework to stop this from happening. It’s very unlikely your situation happens and they don’t side with how Razor has been saying the game needs to move forward in NZ. Don’t get me wrong though, I would prefer your situation to happen and him to meet stern old school opposition.

A much more likely scenario is that the All Black attack shows much more accuracy and clarity under Hansen this November and the All Blacks win a Grand Slam.

An 11-2 season record and a Grand Slam along with a Bledisloe Cup sweep will make NZR very happy.

I don’t think Razor will add anyone to the coaching staff.

This is a case of addition by subtraction. Less is more.

Hansen will become the one and only Backs/ Attack coach and Ellison will continue as Defence coach, probably with a more hands on role on D from Razor as he has always said that defence & breakdown was his specialty coming through NZ coaching ranks as a rising coach. Ryan will remain Forward coach.

It’s pub radio talk for sure.

And most of us, and our Grandma"‘s have!!!

Foster always had Scott McLeod as his defence coach plus a forwards coach (Plumbtree/ Ryan) and a backs/ attack coach (Mooar/ Schmidt. So there was always 4 coaches in the All Blacks under Foster.

Henry and Hansen also had 4 coaches at all times. For some reason, everyone always forgets Mike Cron as scrum coach during both Henry and Hansen’s 16 years. Henry had Hansen, Smith, and Cron. Hansen had Foster, Smith/ McLeod, and Cron.

So considering the All Blacks won World Cups with Henry in 2011 and Hansen in 2015 with 4 man coaching teams, 4 coaches seems to be the magic number, not 3.

It’s not that unusual in terms of coaching team size going by international standards but it is on the high side

The Boks have 9 by my count including Jaco Peyper!

France and Ireland have 5-6 I think but it’s to me the lack of experience of basically all of them at this level

Remember when the ABs had proper collateral with Byrne and Cron as well

I’m also not convinced most of them are up to it

That includes Holland, Hansen and Ellison

Too many leave because of one coach. That is poisoness. How long before players follow suit? If it's true, many coaches left at the Crusaders because of Hansen. Now the same trend is following in the AB's set up. I'd be worried about that one small issue there. It can grow and become such a big problem that it might affect not only the coaching staff, but also the players and ultimately how they perform on the pitch. Razor can't get the same loyalty out of this current team of AB's as Ian Foster got out of his team that nearly won the WC.

In the Bok setup of you don't gel with the team, then you are out, no matter who you are or what you achieved. The team is more important and bigger than any individual, coach, player or staff. No rotten apples there. In fact, even those who leaves wants to come back and absolutely loves to coach at the Boks. It's not just because of the talent they get to work with. It's because of the working environment and how they are allowed to grow and do their own thing within the squad, coaching their own way without interference, getting respected for whatever they add to the team environment, no matter how small or big the influence that they bring. The size of the coaching staff is not the problem. The Boks coaching staff is probably the biggest in the world. They don't just coach defence or attack or kicking. Rassie don't just rotate players, but also coaches within the squad, giving the coaches more experience in every aspect of coaching, not just one specific department like defence or attack. Each coach get individual players to coach besides their regular coaching gig. To refine that players different strengths and weaknesses etc.

I think we all see the confusion.