Robertson departure shows fragility of modern day coaching - Andy Goode

Scott Robertson’s shock departure as All Blacks head coach shows the fragility of modern-day coaching as well as the increasing prevalence of player power in rugby.

The trigger is being pulled much earlier nowadays, although we aren’t quite in football territory yet, and everyone understands it’s a results-based business, but sometimes it isn’t down to wins and losses at all.

That’s certainly the case in this instance, given Robertson won 20 of his 27 Tests in charge and had a better record than predecessor Ian Foster, as the outcome of an internal review has been responsible for his demise.

In terms of win percentage, he’s around the same as Fabien Galthie and only a couple of per cent behind Andy Farrell and Rassie Erasmus in terms of the current top international coaches, so his tenure has been far from disastrous.

Admittedly, a record defeat to South Africa didn’t help his cause one bit, but the other notable defeats in Argentina and at Twickenham are hardly reasons to be pushing the panic button.

However, certain players clearly haven’t been happy with the coaching methods, and the players’ voices have become a lot more important over the course of the last 10 or 15 years.

It isn’t the first time a review has led to the departure of a head honcho; you only have to look at what happened to Martin Johnson with England in 2011, but it does feel like this is different, and there is a sense that if it can happen to Robertson, it can happen to anyone.

The former Crusaders boss won seven consecutive Super Rugby titles, so the results below international level were there, and one of his great assets has always been his popularity with his players as well as the media and wider public.

For what it’s worth, he’s come across as a really good bloke in my few dealings with him, but he seems to have divided opinion inside the All Blacks camp, and New Zealand Rugby have acted in order to keep more players from leaving with a World Cup two years away.

Ardie Savea has obviously been mentioned as he has spoken out publicly and is the best player in the side, but there will be others as well, and it isn’t Robertson’s fault that the lure of more money abroad is more of a factor nowadays.

Putting personalities to one side, it would have taken a lot more discontent to persuade Richie McCaw or Kieran Read to jump ship than Savea, and we all know New Zealand’s problems run a lot deeper than who the head coach is.

The erosion of the aura around the All Blacks began long before Robertson took the reins, Super Rugby isn’t preparing players for the Test arena like it once did, participation numbers are down, and other countries have simply caught up.

New Zealand are still a very good rugby team, but, regardless of who their head coach is, it’s tough to see them returning to the days of winning over 85% of their Tests over a 10 or 20-year period as they did just after the turn of the millennium.

Savea may now stay in New Zealand, but there will be others who choose to go anyway. A lot of people have quickly forgotten that Richie Mo’unga is actually younger than Savea and has opted for the cash on offer in Japan over international rugby for the last two years.

Robertson’s assistant coaches have been an issue with Leon MacDonald and Jason Holland having left, and a lot of heat is on Scott Hansen at the moment. I’ve no doubt he’s made some mistakes, but he’s an excellent coach, and there’ll be a clamour for his signature now.

Scotland could be a potential destination, despite Gregor Townsend having signed another new contract not so long ago, but there aren’t too many obvious opportunities in international rugby, and there are a plethora of well-paid ones in the club game.

There’s a vacancy at Harlequins, who have links to New Zealand Rugby. Leinster might need someone if Jacques Nienaber chooses to return to South Africa. I’d be straight on the phone if I were running Newcastle Red Bulls or Gloucester, and there’ll be big money on offer in France.

Jacky Lorenzetti will be interested in taking him to Racing 92, with Patrice Collazo the latest to not be pulling up any trees in the French capital. Clermont might fancy sounding him out, too, and then there is the situation surrounding Ronan O’Gara at La Rochelle.

The All Blacks could do worse than look at the Irishman, as they are missing a trick not having any outside influences on the coaching staff, something we’ve seen the Springboks do to great effect in recent times, and he was an assistant coach at the Crusaders, but it’s never going to happen.

O’Gara may well look to move on to pastures new, regardless, though, after spending over six years on the Bay of Biscay, and the La Rochelle job would be tricky for Robertson, or anyone else for that matter, to turn down.

As for his successor as All Blacks head coach, the names in the frame all appear to be Kiwis with some experience overseas, and Joe Schmidt and Dave Rennie would both be excellent choices, but Jamie Joseph is the frontrunner.

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

4

Draws

0

Wins

1

Average Points scored

24

17

First try wins

40%

Home team wins

60%

His record with the Highlanders isn’t great at all, but he’s been coaching the All Blacks XV, has earned massive respect for his work with Japan, and the fact that he might be able to tempt attack coach Tony Brown back from the Springboks is a bonus.

Whoever the new man is, they know they have arguably the toughest job in world rugby on their hands… maintain a win rate of over 80%, restore the aura, keep the players happy and presumably win a World Cup!

Oh, and there’s the small matter of a four-Test series away in South Africa on the horizon this year after the Nations Championship fixtures against France, Italy and Ireland, so it isn’t getting any easier.

Robertson will get a big payout for mutually agreeing to depart, as well as landing a plum job elsewhere sometime soon, and he’ll be gutted it hasn’t worked out, but his departure says more about players and the state of rugby in New Zealand than it does about him.