Senior All Blacks duo come out in defence of 'scapegoat' Savea

All Blacks veterans Patrick Tuipulotu and Codie Taylor say they’re disappointed to see Ardie Savea taking heat in the wake of Scott Robertson’s departure from the team, calling the vice-captain’s treatment “totally unfair”.

Savea was highlighted in a report the day before Robertson’s exit was announced on January 14, with the 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year said to be considering a full-time move overseas due to his dissatisfaction with leadership within the All Blacks.

The report was quickly followed by speculation and narratives that progressively framed Savea as a central figure in New Zealand Rugby’s decision to part ways with Robertson, and the 32-year-old has since faced criticism over his reported expressions of disgruntlement.

The negative reactions haven’t been sitting well with fellow leaders within the All Blacks playing group, and Tuipulotu made his feelings clear when asked about the situation at the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season launch event in Auckland on Wednesday.

“I’m a bit disappointed,” the Blues captain told reporters. “He’s been used as a scapegoat when he’s probably just expressed his views in a review, and it’s come out. A lot of people expressed their views in the review; everyone in the team does.

“I suppose it’s just easy to latch onto him because he’s probably the best player in the world at the moment. It’s a bit disappointing, but people are going to say what they’re going to say.”

The lock didn’t expect the noise to impact Savea at all, who is currently on a club-season sabbatical with Kobe in Japan Rugby League One.

“I haven’t spoken to him, but on the Zooms we’ve had, he seems alright,” Tuipulotu said. “It won’t bother him, he’s the type of guy to just carry on.”

Savea became a Test centurion for the All Blacks in 2025, just one week after teammate Codie Taylor achieved the same feat.

Taylor said he “one hundred per cent” agreed with Tuipulotu that Savea had been given the scapegoat treatment.

“There was a player review, obviously, but the way the narrative has been put onto Ards is totally unfair. I think when someone of his calibre goes away to a different competition, it’s pretty easy to point fingers, but that’s not the case at all.

“We don’t even know what he said in his review. I don’t want to know. But I know for a fact that he wants the best for this team, and he really respected Razor.”