Robertson is the next All Blacks coach
This is brilliant news for NZ Rugby, for a few reasons.
Robertson will bring an immense amount of energy and enthusiasm to the role. This has been terribly lacking under 'low energy' Ian Foster.
Robertson is a passionate learner of the game. He spends every off-season traveling the world visiting successful teams and learning methods from successful coaches.
Robertson teams have historically played above the sum of their parts. Players have played above themselves under his systems. Over the last four years players have consistently struggled for form whilst with the AB's. It's because the systems were not conducive to playing well.
I expect Robertson to bring plenty of innovation to the All Blacks. After 4 shitty years of structure-less attack, flat attacking backlines and ridiculous pod systems that simply allowed other teams to dominate numbers at the breakdown, I expect this will be a new and exciting era for the All Blacks.
Robertson has shown that he is excellent at developing young talent. And that will be crucial over the next 4 years. With experienced All Blacks departing NZ, we need a coach who can introduce new talent into the team, develop their confidence whilst also harnessing their enthusiasm and energy. When was the last time a young new All Black played with confidence under Foster?
I suspect part of what gave Robertson the edge over someone like Jamie Joseph is that he's NZ based. He knows the NZ players better. This will be vital as over the next few years selection is going to be absolutely critical. Identifying and selecting the right players will be crucial.
I also think this appointment sends a great message to NZ coaches. It says that you can stay in NZ Rugby and still reach the top. Previously we've had the ridiculous inference that if you want to coach the AB's you've got to leave NZ and coach overseas. And all this has done is exacerbate the brain-drain of talented coaches offshore. Why would we deliberately encourage our best and most aspirational coaches to leave NZ? It's the opposite of what we try and do with our players, by only picking locally based players for the AB's.
@canefan said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@nostrildamus said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Chris-B said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Crucial said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
We’re going over old ground now. Fosters best/only chance is based on completion of the job he was employed to do. That option was taken away.
Thing is - Fozzie's not employed just to win the RWC.
He should have to stand on his record at the point NZR decide to recruit - not be given the chance to pull a rabbit out of a hat at the end (a chance no other potential candidate gets).
If he'd simply won more games he would have had a chance in this process. If he was sitting there with Sir Grahams record in early-2007 he'd likely have been a shoe-in.
I think it's a good thing that the future has been clarified. And on the other side of the coin, Fozzie gets his shot at winning a RWC and I'm fully behind him. Give him what he needs to win. If he's got assistants who are going to bail (as one article I saw today suggested) then maybe they're not the guys we need anyway. It should be a privilege to be on the AB coaching staff.
For what it's worth, I think (and hope) we'll get Ryan, Leon and Holland as Razor's lead assistants. I wouldn't mind seeing Smithy or Hansen in a mentoring role. I'm not convinced we need other old guys in the core team - maybe a few losses will change my tune.
I agree with you apart from Hansen. I suspect he has a little bit of an ax to grind still and I think its time for some fresher tactics/strategy. As manager might be ok.
Schmidt in a mentor role would work for me. NH knowledge, seems happy to be out of the limelight. Allow him to hang with the team when they are in NZ and he doesn't have to travel which probably suits his family situation. If Smith isn't keen of course....
I'd like him there too but seems to be more the man in the chair type than a people person?
@nostrildamus said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@canefan said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@nostrildamus said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Chris-B said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Crucial said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
We’re going over old ground now. Fosters best/only chance is based on completion of the job he was employed to do. That option was taken away.
Thing is - Fozzie's not employed just to win the RWC.
He should have to stand on his record at the point NZR decide to recruit - not be given the chance to pull a rabbit out of a hat at the end (a chance no other potential candidate gets).
If he'd simply won more games he would have had a chance in this process. If he was sitting there with Sir Grahams record in early-2007 he'd likely have been a shoe-in.
I think it's a good thing that the future has been clarified. And on the other side of the coin, Fozzie gets his shot at winning a RWC and I'm fully behind him. Give him what he needs to win. If he's got assistants who are going to bail (as one article I saw today suggested) then maybe they're not the guys we need anyway. It should be a privilege to be on the AB coaching staff.
For what it's worth, I think (and hope) we'll get Ryan, Leon and Holland as Razor's lead assistants. I wouldn't mind seeing Smithy or Hansen in a mentoring role. I'm not convinced we need other old guys in the core team - maybe a few losses will change my tune.
I agree with you apart from Hansen. I suspect he has a little bit of an ax to grind still and I think its time for some fresher tactics/strategy. As manager might be ok.
Schmidt in a mentor role would work for me. NH knowledge, seems happy to be out of the limelight. Allow him to hang with the team when they are in NZ and he doesn't have to travel which probably suits his family situation. If Smith isn't keen of course....
I'd like him there too but seems to be more the man in the chair type than a people person?
This came up earlier on. IIRC he said he was happier not being out front. He's more Wayne Smith than GH
@nostrildamus said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Chris-B said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Crucial said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
We’re going over old ground now. Fosters best/only chance is based on completion of the job he was employed to do. That option was taken away.
Thing is - Fozzie's not employed just to win the RWC.
He should have to stand on his record at the point NZR decide to recruit - not be given the chance to pull a rabbit out of a hat at the end (a chance no other potential candidate gets).
If he'd simply won more games he would have had a chance in this process. If he was sitting there with Sir Grahams record in early-2007 he'd likely have been a shoe-in.
I think it's a good thing that the future has been clarified. And on the other side of the coin, Fozzie gets his shot at winning a RWC and I'm fully behind him. Give him what he needs to win. If he's got assistants who are going to bail (as one article I saw today suggested) then maybe they're not the guys we need anyway. It should be a privilege to be on the AB coaching staff.
For what it's worth, I think (and hope) we'll get Ryan, Leon and Holland as Razor's lead assistants. I wouldn't mind seeing Smithy or Hansen in a mentoring role. I'm not convinced we need other old guys in the core team - maybe a few losses will change my tune.
I agree with you apart from Hansen. I suspect he has a little bit of an ax to grind still and I think its time for some fresher tactics/strategy. As manager might be ok.
Mentoring the coaching team - Providing feedback on their plans and making sure they're fully accounting for the differences between coaching Super rugby and Test rugby. I wouldn't have Hansen as Manager - I'd have him as a mentor.
@Chris-B said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@nostrildamus said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Chris-B said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Crucial said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
We’re going over old ground now. Fosters best/only chance is based on completion of the job he was employed to do. That option was taken away.
Thing is - Fozzie's not employed just to win the RWC.
He should have to stand on his record at the point NZR decide to recruit - not be given the chance to pull a rabbit out of a hat at the end (a chance no other potential candidate gets).
If he'd simply won more games he would have had a chance in this process. If he was sitting there with Sir Grahams record in early-2007 he'd likely have been a shoe-in.
I think it's a good thing that the future has been clarified. And on the other side of the coin, Fozzie gets his shot at winning a RWC and I'm fully behind him. Give him what he needs to win. If he's got assistants who are going to bail (as one article I saw today suggested) then maybe they're not the guys we need anyway. It should be a privilege to be on the AB coaching staff.
For what it's worth, I think (and hope) we'll get Ryan, Leon and Holland as Razor's lead assistants. I wouldn't mind seeing Smithy or Hansen in a mentoring role. I'm not convinced we need other old guys in the core team - maybe a few losses will change my tune.
I agree with you apart from Hansen. I suspect he has a little bit of an ax to grind still and I think its time for some fresher tactics/strategy. As manager might be ok.
Mentoring the coaching team - Providing feedback on their plans and making sure they're fully accounting for the differences between coaching Super rugby and Test rugby. I wouldn't have Hansen as Manager - I'd have him as a mentor.
I agree. The mentor isn't there in an Xs and Os capacity. He's there to help smooth the transition from Super level to Test level
@Crucial said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Chester-Draws said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Kirwan said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@taniwharugby said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Kirwan given preparation seems to be a big part of his successes to date, he has alot of months to get himself prepared for his first naming in what, May 2024?
Geez, that is a long time to wait now...
It's weird having two All Black coaches. Modern times I guess.
We have one coach, with another taking over when he leaves. Most jobs at my work are like that -- we know the replacement well out from the actual change.
How does that differ from when Hansen was clearly going to take over from Henry? Or when Foster was basically certain to take over from Hansen? If anything it is normal procedure now.
The Wyllie-Hart era was much more bizarre.
It’s very different. The examples you use were never locked in until the existing coach had finished and the existing coach had announced that they were retiring.
Sure, it wasn't announced, but that doesn't mean it wasn't locked in. I would have bet any amount of money that Hansen was going to take over from Henry, despite not being a betting man. We all knew it was going to happen. Including you.
Foster wasn't quite so locked in. But oddly all the other high quality candidates didn't wait around, but went out and got what they could. Which suggests that they felt they had no chance.
Foster was happy to take a shoo-in job with all other realistic candidates scared off. Then get an early extension, despite poor performance up to that date. On what basis would can he really complain that he's been treated badly?
@Chester-Draws said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Crucial said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Chester-Draws said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Kirwan said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@taniwharugby said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Kirwan given preparation seems to be a big part of his successes to date, he has alot of months to get himself prepared for his first naming in what, May 2024?
Geez, that is a long time to wait now...
It's weird having two All Black coaches. Modern times I guess.
We have one coach, with another taking over when he leaves. Most jobs at my work are like that -- we know the replacement well out from the actual change.
How does that differ from when Hansen was clearly going to take over from Henry? Or when Foster was basically certain to take over from Hansen? If anything it is normal procedure now.
The Wyllie-Hart era was much more bizarre.
It’s very different. The examples you use were never locked in until the existing coach had finished and the existing coach had announced that they were retiring.
Sure, it wasn't announced, but that doesn't mean it wasn't locked in. I would have bet any amount of money that Hansen was going to take over from Henry, despite not being a betting man. We all knew it was going to happen. Including you.
Foster wasn't quite so locked in. But oddly all the other high quality candidates didn't wait around, but went out and got what they could. Which suggests that they felt they had no chance.
Foster was happy to take a shoo-in job with all other realistic candidates scared off. Then get an early extension, despite poor performance up to that date. On what basis would can he really complain that he's been treated badly?
He should consider himself very lucky to not have been fired after the disastrous EOYT a couple of years back
@Chris-B said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
Mentoring the coaching team - Providing feedback on their plans and making sure they're fully accounting for the differences between coaching Super rugby and Test rugby. I wouldn't have Hansen as Manager - I'd have him as a mentor.
It's not a hill I need to die on. Just his sledge(?) against Ireland and one possible dig today about the NZR rationale for deciding now makes me think he'd have trouble keeping his comments out of the limelight. Happy to be proven wrong.
Quite unprecedented knowing who the new All Blacks Coach will be when the incumbent still has a full season and the small matter of an RWC to go.
Am hoping there's some sort of Fern reverse jinx in the mix - i.e. the sheer weight of negativity and rush to replace him, means that Fozzie will manage to bring back the William Web Ellis later in the year.
Scott Hansen will be part of that Coaching team I would bet,
Ryan and Holland as well,
Betting McDonald will not feature but Tamiti Ellison may do he has been very very good as Defence coach for the Crusaders under Razor.
I would pick Andrew Goodman to take over as Crusaders HC,with James Marshall and Dave Perrin to carry on.
They may need another Defence coach
@Crucial said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@nostrildamus said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Crucial said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@KiwiMurph said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Crucial said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
This is basically telling the players that they need to impress the next guy not listen to the current one.
Let’s say you are a Saders player and Foster tries to get you doing something that you know Razor doesn’t do and doesn’t agree with……I don't buy this at all.
In practical terms I just don't see this happening at all.
So in your example the said player is going to risk being part of the 2023 rwc squad to impress Razor for the 2024 squad - which isn't picked until at the end of the 2024 Super season?
That’s not what I am saying. Influence can be way more subtle. We talk about the top two inches and how a clear head is the key to good performances.
By going early NZR have basically given the current coach a vote of no confidence. If a player has any questions about the direction being given by Foster that is now cemented.
You don’t get good performance that way.
The team leaders will have their work cut out keeping everyone on the same page.No. Foster had the chance to nominate, he didn't. NZR didn't wait until the good coaches were all taken by other sides. Good on them, sound business decision. They said in public Foster could put his hat in the ring.
We’re going over old ground now. Fosters best/only chance is based on completion of the job he was employed to do. That option was taken away.
People keep using their office analogies so here’s one.
You are employed on contract to deliver something by the end of the year. The employer says you can apply now to extend your contract but the decision wont be based on whether you successfully deliver what you are working towards.
Your team now sees you as a dead duck and have one eye on keeping the new guy happy.
None of what you're saying make the slightest bit of sense. The 2024 All Black squad will be picked well into the 2024 Super Rugby season. Players aren't going to sacrifice their immediate future to pretend what they do now for the 2023 All Black coaching team will have the slightest bit of sway, other than by performing well.
@kiwi_expat said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
- I also think this appointment sends a great message to NZ coaches. It says that you can stay in NZ Rugby and still reach the top. Previously we've had the ridiculous inference that if you want to coach the AB's you've got to leave NZ and coach overseas. And all this has done is exacerbate the brain-drain of talented coaches offshore. Why would we deliberately encourage our best and most aspirational coaches to leave NZ? It's the opposite of what we try and do with our players, by only picking locally based players for the AB's.
Couldn't agree more.
I think the value of coaching overseas is significantly overstated.
Wracking my brain trying to think of another professional sports coach who has the job for a full season knowing he's not wanted?
Very strange fucking time
I actually don't know how I feel about it to be honest.
I want to believe everyone is a stone cold professional and just gets on with the job. But that's fantasy.
If Foster isn't their guy he shouldn't be there now.
It's all ridiculous really.
@mariner4life Would have been awkward if Fozzie had applied for the job. He had the good sense not to.
I reckon Mitch would have had a fair idea....
@mariner4life said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
Wracking my brain trying to think of another professional sports coach who has the job for a full season knowing he's not wanted?
Currently St George are asking Griffin to reapply if he wants to continue in 2024. They are going to interview other coaches now as well. Potentially writing on the wall here too.
Cant think of many others though
@Chris-B said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Crucial said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
We’re going over old ground now. Fosters best/only chance is based on completion of the job he was employed to do. That option was taken away.
Thing is - Fozzie's not employed just to win the RWC.
He should have to stand on his record at the point NZR decide to recruit - not be given the chance to pull a rabbit out of a hat at the end (a chance no other potential candidate gets).
If he'd simply won more games he would have had a chance in this process. If he was sitting there with Sir Grahams record in early-2007 he'd likely have been a shoe-in.
I think it's a good thing that the future has been clarified. And on the other side of the coin, Fozzie gets his shot at winning a RWC and I'm fully behind him. Give him what he needs to win. If he's got assistants who are going to bail (as one article I saw today suggested) then maybe they're not the guys we need anyway. It should be a privilege to be on the AB coaching staff.
For what it's worth, I think (and hope) we'll get Ryan, Leon and Holland as Razor's lead assistants. I wouldn't mind seeing Smithy or Hansen in a mentoring role. I'm not convinced we need other old guys in the core team - maybe a few losses will change my tune.
I think that's the most interesting part about Razor for me. He's most certainly employed at Super level to win the tournament, and losses to the likes of Drua are pretty quickly swept aside so long as his team is there at the business end and get it done. Test level, as you point out, is a very different kettle of fish. If Fozzie gets the job done at the RWC, does that mean previous losses, e.g. to Argentina, get swept aside because he got it done when it mattered? The answer is absolutely not, the ABs have a proud legacy and losses like that cannot be wiped from the slate the same way they can be at the lower levels. I'm interested to see how Razor responds to an environment where you just have to win every single game, and if you don't the braying for blood from the public gets louder and louder. I think NZR have taken a punt here, which I'm not opposed to at all as it's clear the ABs need a shake up, but 2024 is going to be very interesting.
One bonus as Razor mentioned is he can now sort out his assistants well in advance as he has the job. I would argue the assistants or coaching team is more important than just the head coach. So if Razor can hand pick the best assistants that can only benefit the team as a whole.
I also think Foster maybe happy to have this issue done and dusted so he can just concentrate on the RWC.
@Chris said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
Scott Hansen will be part of that Coaching team I would bet,
Ryan and Holland as well,
Betting McDonald will not feature but Tamiti Ellison may do he has been very very good as Defence coach for the Crusaders under Razor.I would pick Andrew Goodman to take over as Crusaders HC,with James Marshall and Dave Perrin to carry on.
They may need another Defence coach
Hope not with Ellison. As keen to see what he can do as a head coach.
@Winger said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Chris said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
Scott Hansen will be part of that Coaching team I would bet,
Ryan and Holland as well,
Betting McDonald will not feature but Tamiti Ellison may do he has been very very good as Defence coach for the Crusaders under Razor.I would pick Andrew Goodman to take over as Crusaders HC,with James Marshall and Dave Perrin to carry on.
They may need another Defence coachHope not with Ellison. As keen to see what he can do as a head coach.
Just a guess on Ellison we will see.
I just don't see the problem here. The current coach will end his contract when we lose at the QF of the RWC. A replacement will be required and that replacement has been named.
Actually I think the laws of retardation mean we might actually win it. But damn I've never been so can't give af about a RWC. Says alot about the last 3 years.
@Crucial said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@KiwiMurph said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Crucial said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
This is basically telling the players that they need to impress the next guy not listen to the current one.
Let’s say you are a Saders player and Foster tries to get you doing something that you know Razor doesn’t do and doesn’t agree with……I don't buy this at all.
In practical terms I just don't see this happening at all.
So in your example the said player is going to risk being part of the 2023 rwc squad to impress Razor for the 2024 squad - which isn't picked until at the end of the 2024 Super season?
That’s not what I am saying. Influence can be way more subtle. We talk about the top two inches and how a clear head is the key to good performances.
By going early NZR have basically given the current coach a vote of no confidence. If a player has any questions about the direction being given by Foster that is now cemented.
You don’t get good performance that way.
The team leaders will have their work cut out keeping everyone on the same page.
Bollocks.
They will all want to win the World Cup.
If they lack motivation, there's something wrong with them.
@Chris-B said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
For what it's worth, I think (and hope) we'll get Ryan, Leon and Holland as Razor's lead assistants. I wouldn't mind seeing Smithy or Hansen in a mentoring role. I'm not convinced we need other old guys in the core team - maybe a few losses will change my tune.
What are Leon MacDonald's particular areas of expertise that he would bring to the ABs?
@Frank said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Chris-B said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
For what it's worth, I think (and hope) we'll get Ryan, Leon and Holland as Razor's lead assistants. I wouldn't mind seeing Smithy or Hansen in a mentoring role. I'm not convinced we need other old guys in the core team - maybe a few losses will change my tune.
What are Leon MacDonald's particular areas of expertise that he would bring to the ABs?
Yeah Leon I find a bit underwhelming with the talent he has available - but maybe if he's focussing on one area as an assistant, he might be pretty good. Hard to say though...
@No-Quarter said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
I'm interested to see how Razor responds to an environment where you just have to win every single game, and if you don't the braying for blood from the puclic gets louder and louder. I think NZR have taken a punt here, which I'm not opposed to at all as it's clear the ABs need a shake up, but 2024 is going to be very interesting.
We really don't know how he'll go at Test level, but need to give the bloke enough time to get his feet under the table before judging him.
Huge expectation has been built up around Robertson & hope the media bashing a la Foster doesn't start if he loses 2 or 3 games in a row or people start calling for his immediate sacking if he records NZ's first Test loss against, say, Scotland - but I'm not holding my breath.
Finally, NZR need to get their act together and deal with any coaching issues privately and professionally. No-one should be repeatedly hung out to dry the way Foster was.
@Chris-B said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@mariner4life Would have been awkward if Fozzie had applied for the job. He had the good sense not to.
I reckon Mitch would have had a fair idea....
Foster intimated there had been meetings, whether he got clear feedback from that, I don't know.
@antipodean said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
What constitutes success for the new regime? Keep Bledisloe. Win all home series, ranking?
Direction mostly for me, but a lot of people will want to judge him purely on results and want KPI's set as they did with Foster. After his first season in charge, I think anything less than keeping the Bled, the RC & not losing at EP would cause concern for a lot of people.
Losing more than 1 game on the EOYT, being below 2 or 3 in the global rankings and losing twice to Argentina would show a distinct lack of progress for an awful lot of people and the media knives will probably be unsheathed if that happens
@No-Quarter I think if you look back over the last 30 years or so, the first year/set of tests for a new coach have always been an interesting period in terms of selection, results and fan reaction. I don’t expect next year will be too different.
Given the unprecedented speculation/attention around the future, I don’t think this timing is that surprising. It’s the nature of things in today’s age when organisations look for circuit breakers. Putting to side the poor handling of things on the last few months from an NZRU (comms, messaging, frantic behaviour), I think it’s a good decision, not so much because of who they’ve appointed but because there is certainty and when the test season starts there won’t be inane articles / questions in pressers speculating about “who, what and if”.
Not exactly the same scenario but the circuit breaker principle still applied - I remember the Bulls and Phil Jackson were copping it about the future after the Bulls first NBA finals win against the Jazz and that’s when they decided that it would be Phil’s last year and put all the speculation to bed.
Fozzie’s last dance ?
I’m happy. For no other reason than Razor is bloody infectious. He clearly cares, and he clearly resonates with his guys. He won’t make every one of us happy with his selections and his gameplan, but I don’t doubt for a second that he has the talent and drive to make this work.
I’m balls deep in the Razor camp
@voodoo said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
I’m balls deep in the Razor camp
Imagery too horrible to contemplate...
@Victor-Meldrew For mine the Bledisloe needs to be in the display cabinet. A series win against England, with the Eden Park record intact.
I don't know what the EOYT holds, so will hold opinion there.
@antipodean said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Victor-Meldrew For mine the Bledisloe needs to be in the display cabinet. A series win against England, with the Eden Park record intact.
May not look too hard at the moment, but a close contest is really possible if Borthwick gets England moving.
I don't know what the EOYT holds, so will hold opinion there.
Yeah, it's pretty crazy to ignore the huge improvement in NH rugby we've seen in the last 3-4 years. That won't stop the criticism if he only matches Foster's record though - expectation and all that
@Victor-Meldrew said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@voodoo said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
I’m balls deep in the Razor camp
Imagery too horrible to contemplate...
And yet, you can’t stop your mind from wandering
@Victor-Meldrew said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
Yeah, it's pretty crazy to ignore the huge improvement in NH rugby we've seen in the last 3-4 years. That won't stop the criticism if he only matches Foster's record though - expectation and all that
It isn't the improvement of the opposition, that is a given I would have thought. It is the lack of innovation and improvement in the AB camp that has been the problem. If Razor attempts new things, and brings a fresh approach but has similar results as Foster, I honestly think he will be given some leeway. It is the stagnant nature of the current set up and the feeling of time wasted that grinds a lot of people I think.
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@Victor-Meldrew said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
Yeah, it's pretty crazy to ignore the huge improvement in NH rugby we've seen in the last 3-4 years. That won't stop the criticism if he only matches Foster's record though - expectation and all that
It isn't the improvement of the opposition, that is a given I would have thought. It is the lack of innovation and improvement in the AB camp that has been the problem. If Razor attempts new things, and brings a fresh approach but has similar results as Foster, I honestly think he will be given some leeway. It is the stagnant nature of the current set up and the feeling of time wasted that grinds a lot of people I think.
I've already noticed a deliberate ferocity and directness in our forward play once Ryan joined the coaching team. What I feel we're missing is inventiveness in our backline attack (contrast with France in the 6N) and better defence.
@antipodean said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
What constitutes success for the new regime? Keep Bledisloe. Win all home series, ranking?
It might be Regain Bledisloe if Foz loses it this year
@Nevorian said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
@antipodean said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
What constitutes success for the new regime? Keep Bledisloe. Win all home series, ranking?
It might be Regain Bledisloe if Foz loses it this year
That's an outcome I've contemplated when I look at the return of Eddie and Australian players making an early case for selection.
@antipodean said in It’s Razor. Robertson New All Blacks coach.:
I've already noticed a deliberate ferocity and directness in our forward play once Ryan joined the coaching team. What I feel we're missing is inventiveness in our backline attack (contrast with France in the 6N) and better defence.
Yeah, there has been "go forward" since the assistants changed without a doubt. And there have been some inspired recent changes in selections. Pretty much all positive change has been forced though. It seems to me that Foster would have happily carried on with the status quo otherwise.