Scott Robertson on the new Super Rugby season and star performers

The new Super Rugby Pacific season has been earning plenty of praise for just how engaging and exciting it has been, and now All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has joined that chorus.

Five rounds into the 2025 campaign, the standings are as tight as ever with not a single team left undefeated or winless. The team at the bottom of the table, Moana Pasifika, are scoring more points per game than the team at the top, the Chiefs, and the reigning champions have just one win to their name.

For Scott ‘Razor’ Robertson, watching the contests as an eagle-eyed observer in his capacity as national selector as well as feeling the pulse of the game throughout the country, this season has been a very positive step forward in the competition.

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“How good? I think everyone’s talking about it, anywhere you go. Just the quality of football, the skillsets, the young players that are coming through. There’s a bit of jeopardy for teams, anyone can win,” the coach told the Rugby Direct podcast this week.

“And, I just think the shape of the game, the ball in play (time) all around the world is really high, but Super Rugby’s been great to watch and I’ve enjoyed it from a coaching point of view, a selection point of view, but also just in viewership, you’re really entertained.”

It took no time at all for the All Blacks selection debate to heat up once the Super Rugby season kicked off, with names like Du’Plessis Kirifi, Timoci Tavatavanawai and Quinn Tupaea featuring heavily in fan discourse.

Razor stopped short of mentioning any names in particular but alluded to the young players as a cohort that have caught his eye.

“Look, if I start giving names, I’ve learnt you get in trouble! But I think there’s some guys who have had their first Supers, their second Supers, who have really stood up. They’ve had opportunities, and there’s been a couple of injuries. They’ve taken that, and they’ve got regular game time and are playing some fearless footy.

“And because every game is tight, you see them under pressure as well. I’m just really enjoying the skillsets and bravery.”

Super Rugby Pacific

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

Chiefs

5

4

1

0

18

2

Crusaders

4

3

1

0

14

3

Reds

4

3

1

0

14

4

Brumbies

5

3

2

0

14

5

Waratahs

4

3

1

0

13

6

Highlanders

4

2

2

0

10

7

Hurricanes

5

2

3

0

9

8

Force

5

2

3

0

9

9

Blues

5

1

4

0

7

10

Fijian Drua

5

1

4

0

7

11

Moana Pasifika

4

1

3

0

6

One new aspect of the Super Rugby Pacific fan experience is the fantasy league, an initiative Robertson was very fond of, while also revealing he’d been banned from participating.

“We got an email about three days beforehand, when my three sons were at it, chipping away and asking me… the email said you’re not allowed to do it because obviously there’s a bit of insider trading going on. So, I’m banned,” the coach laughed.

“It gives you higher buy-in, doesn’t it? You’ve got a bit of skin in it because you back your players and team. You’re looking at your phone, watching rugby. All of a sudden people are looking up, checking scores, it’s live. That’s where our game is, the entertainment part. It’s just another layer and engaging with people.”