New Zealand Rugby confirm Scott Robertson's All Blacks exit

NZR has finally taken responsibility. It’s been obvious to everyone for a very long time that Robertson was incompetent from the beginning to the end of his tenure, which lasted only two years. A coaching disaster. Incomprehensible communication and, most disheartening of all, a well-known lack of technical competence on the training ground. When he said that Scott Hansen was the one coaching the team, everyone understood… NZR had no choice. This team was going to crash if it kept going with Razor. I don’t wish him any harm in the future, but he’s going to have to work seriously and take a hard look at himself.

I feel sorry for Razor, as he is a decent guy and he has gone out with dignity. His legacy will be to have bought through a bunch of young players, who will in time make this a much stronger team. It was however the right decision by Kirk, who has shown he is the man to make the hard calls, after years of incompetency from Robinson. Razor just seemed dragged down by the weight of the role and was unable to get the right team around him. His appointment of Scott Barrett as captain was a massive error from day 1, culminating in maybe the most rudderless loss of the modern era to England last year. The only guy that should remain in the setup is Jason Ryan, who I suspect has the respect of the team and has progressed the set piece since the Foster days. JJ and TB are the only way to go and hopefully Joe as a strategic advisor/selector. Maybe Cory Jane could be a specialist high ball/defensive assistant? Less is probably more as far as the coaching team goes, I think we probably need less voices and more clarity.

The All Blacks are a great rugby nation. I hope they can fix this before the next world Cup.

I didn’t think Kirk would make such a bold decision so quickly (because this really is a big decision) BUT I can honestly say I didn’t think this would improve until Razor moved on and I thought they may throw RWC 2027 through a lack of bravery.

However, if they find the right coaching ticket (which they will clearly believe they can), then I think you have a chance and this could be a huge moment that defines the next 2 x RWC’s for NZ.

Going to miss this clown, especially the press conferences, shame, well atleast he got paid very well:)

I am surprised NZR has acted so decisively.

After another lack lustre RC, and another mediocre Northern Tour, with the attack still producing nothing, and with the team clearly unhappy about how they are being managed this was clearly the end of the line for Razor.

Many people comparing the results to Fozzie but remember how that played out - the players came out publicly to back him. This time around they are refusing to join the camp (Papali’i), leaving NZ for good (Sotutu) or threatening to (Ardie).

For anyone saying he should stay on or didn’t get a fair chance or has been “developing depth”, think about how these situation have been treated in the past, and what players have done. Clearly the review was catastrophic and literally no one wanted him there. Even if you bleed Red and Black you have to be able to acknowledge that.

I always post this but in another time line he left NZ rugby after his 3rd consecutive title with the Crusaders in 2020 after he didn’t get the ABs job. He coached a top 14 or URC team for 2 years then joined Ireland or England as an assistant for the 2023 world cup. Maybe they won it. In 2024 he applied for ABs role but missed out to Joseph and Brown. After the World Cup he joined Schmidt at Australia and just took over as head coach.

Alternative timelines aside he has had so much success everywhere he has gone there is clearly something there. Maybe he will win a World Cup with another team. Maybe he will come back in 6 years and take the ABs to victory in the 2035 world cup.

God speed Razor.

More than anything let’s hope NZR have learned something from their previous recruitment rounds and just appoint a head coach instead of forcing them to have their coaching team pre-selected. And hopefully they can all agree the assistant coaches must have had some success in test rugby, rather than mediocre results in Super Rugby.

the facts: Scott Robertson has a 74% win rate with the ABs, under his tenure the ABs have the following record against other Top7 nations: Wallabies 4:0, Argentina 2:2, Ireland 2:0, France 3:1, England 3:1, Springboks 1:3

so the results are earthly, but good … not sure what the Kiwis are so disappointed about in that respect ….

if his sacking is a result of a players revolt, then we are definitely on dangerous ground