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Experienced commentator weighs in on Eben Etzebeth's verdict
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Former All Black centurion pinpoints where Robertson's issues lie
By Henry Lee
The All Blacks are now 26 games into Scott Robertson’s tenure as head coach, with 2024’s International season ending with four losses.
In 2025’s season, there have already been three losses, with one more Test to play against Wales.
The three Tests that the All Blacks have lost this season have all been historic in different ways. Argentina’s 29-23 victory over Robertson’s side was their firsts-ever victory over the All Blacks in Argentina, while the Springboks’ 43-10 clinic in Wellington was the largest defeat ever for the All Blacks.
And now, England have won their first game against the All Blacks at home in 13 years, piling the pressure on New Zealand ahead of their final game of the season against a Wales side in Cardiff who just won their first game at home in over two years.
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For former All Black centurion Mils Muliaina, he has noticed that Robertson’s side seems to be reacting to what happens on the field, rather than being prepared and innovative.
“I almost get the feeling that we’re very reactive. We’re reactive, like that worked really well and then that didn’t quite work and we’re constantly reviewing where we can get a little bit better from some of the things we didn’t quite get right, and then patting ourselves on the back, on things that we did do right,” Muliaina said on The Breakdown.
“Rather than getting a little bit innovative, you sit there and you think, okay, well, when they’re not getting any momentum, they’re not getting any sort of gain line, or anything like that, they’re bound to make pressure or they just kick the ball away and put ourselves under more pressure so that the team’s coming back at us.”
There has been questions raised in the past about the All Blacks’ game plan, and for former World Cup winning first-five Stephen Donald, he believes that Robertson’s side is currently letting teams decide what they want them to do, rather than executing on their own terms.
“If you look at structure in its purest form, it’s what they’ll fall back on when things are going a bit awry. You’ve got your decision makers and leaders and you’ve got something to fall back onto to get things going again,” Donald said on Sky Sport.
“But for me, when you talk about the game plans and what have you, if it’s working, you don’t get away from it, and if the pressure comes on, you don’t go away from it, and I guess that’s the thing. When you look at Murrayfield, you look at yesterday again, we allowed ourselves to fall into a game that England wanted us to fall into.
“England weren’t happy with what was getting dished up in that first 20 minutes, and then all of a sudden, we started playing narrow and we started giving away free entries.”
The 100-Test fullback turned commentator and analyst says he gets the feeling that as soon as pressure is on this All Blacks team, they start making mistakes.
“We have to keep it for longer periods. I mean, we started with a hiss and a roar, and we got off on a good start, but you’re right. I think the most frustrating part is that it’s the same things, I am not quite sure where they’re going to as soon as pressure is applied or a team’s coming back, you almost get the feeling that they are going to start making mistake and fold,” Muliaina said.
“I just wonder, what they’re prioritising at the moment.”