Joe Schmidt addresses Scott Robertson bad blood speculation

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt and All Blacks counterpart Scott Robertson say they are on good terms, but have not spoken about Ian Foster’s new book, in which Schmidt is quoted criticising Robertson’s actions in 2023.

Schmidt’s contribution to the book, Leading Under Pressure, highlighted a tense period for the previous All Blacks administration, for which he served as attack coach for two years, and acknowledged Robertson’s presence in the media as a contributing factor to that tension.

Results were not going New Zealand’s way at the time, and Foster was feeling the heat from all angles as the 2023 Rugby World Cup crept closer. Schmidt was in Foster’s corner, and Robertson was being touted as the guy to turn the All Blacks’ ship around.

During the saga, Robertson faced frequent questioning from the media as they sought updates on the seven-time Super Rugby champion’s discussions with New Zealand Rugby’s top brass. Schmidt recalled two interviews in particular as aggravating the situation, saying they made life “bloody awkward” for Foster, and were just the “tip of the iceberg”.

Robertson had stated publicly that he was interested in coaching two nations to World Cup glory, opening the door to a departure from New Zealand, putting the ball in NZR’s court and forcing the post-Rugby World Cup issue. Then, when the Fiji job became available, a simple ‘Bula’ as he greeted media in Christchurch implied he was fielding other offers.

New Zealand Rugby’s response was to move its appointment process forward and, uncharacteristically, settle the future of the All Blacks coaching role in advance of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. That didn’t sit well with Foster, who labelled the move a potential distraction for his players in a World Cup year, and withdrew himself from the process.

“A big part of it was about integrity,” Schmidt said in Foster’s book. “The pressure that was being exerted was contributed to by not just New Zealand Rugby, but people aiming up at ‘Fozzie’ [Foster].

“There was a podcast – with Jim Hamilton and Scott Robertson. That’s in the public domain. That was a pressure point and an advertisement that he [Robertson] wanted to win the World Cup with two different teams.

“And he [Robertson] applied pressure by starting an interview with ‘Bula’ when there was talk of the Fijian job being open. That was happening in the foreground, not the background. That was the tip of the iceberg, and it was bloody awkward for Foz.”

Fast forward to Thursday in Auckland, ahead of a pivotal round five in the Rugby Championship, and both coaches were asked to address the situation.

“I haven’t read the book, sorry,” Robertson said. “I’m not sure of the context. I stay away from reading the media as well. Joe is Joe. He’s been around, you know, he’s a good rugby man.”

Schmidt, obviously better versed in his own quotes, could add more insight into the relationship.

“Razor, he’s a guy I’ve known for a long time,” the Wallabies boss said. “And he’s spent time at home and I’ve been to his home and met his boys and know (wife) Jane, and so I think we’ll catch up and have a good chat on Saturday…

“That (situation) was a few years ago. Probably where I was, I was just seeing the impact it was having on Ian Foster and that accumulation of pressure – whether it was mainstream media or social media – seeing his family, you don’t want to see somebody coming under that sort of pressure.

“And I thought he coped really well with it, but if there’s anything you can do to release that pressure a little bit, you want to do it.

“I’ve known Fozzie for a long time and, being respectful of the pressure he was under, that was probably part of my response at the time.”