The All Blacks (New Zealand Rugby) coach Scott Robertson was fired from his role a little over a week ago and still there is no replacement being announced. Apparently the New Zealand Rugby Board under the leadership of David Kirk felt the team was on the wrong trajectory for the 2027 World Cup firing the coach without having a replacement ready.
When Scott Robertson was appointed to the role 2 years ago there were two camps in the running with Robertson and his back room staff versus Jamie Joseph and his coaching team. The board selected Robertson and it seems they have regretted that decision.
Jamie Joseph an ex All Black had Tony Brown on his coaching staff and has since taken up employment with SA Rugby as their attacking coach. The All Blacks loss was SA's gain and now they realize what they have let go. Brown this week revealed he turned down an offer 6 months ago from New Zealand and has ruled himself out of the running now stating he is going to respect his contract which expires after the next World Cup in 2027. This is not what the New Zealand Rugby Board was expecting and leaves a big hole in their plans.
The problem is now is that many who are close to New Zealand Rugby are saying how badly they have got things wrong. The coaches they have been appointing have only New Zealand Rugby experience and no outside influence from having worked in other countries. Even the players are not selected if they play abroad and this is very short sighted. If you do not have the players playing locally you cannot be that picky and there should be exceptions to the rules.
Reading between the lines the coach had lost the confidence of the dressing room with key players threatening to go play rugby off shore so they are ineligible for All Black selection. Players are not bigger than the team and they should have been allowed to leave as there is part of your problem solved. The Board by backing the players undermined the coach and his position was untenable.
The only way coaches and players improve is by playing in different leagues around the world as this way they are constantly learning different methods of training. Tony Brown came to SA Rugby as he saw this as a valuable opportunity to learn and develop new ideas. He has had an impact on the SA team and at the same time has grown as a coach so much so that New Zealand would like him back. He left New Zealand as an assistant coach and is now being talked about as the head coach.
Over the last week he has spoken about the lack of development taking place with New Zealand rugby and what is obvious is the standards have dropped. Other teams in the world have caught up with the All Blacks and they are no longer a dominant force. The New Zealand Rugby Board will not admit this and now they are trying to save face because whoever is handed the job will only be in the role till the next World Cup. New Zealand have a slim outside chance of winning the World Cup, but everything is now against them. The team had a better chance of success if they had kept Robertson in place and now they have reduced their odds significantly.
Why would they change coaches 2 years out from a World Cup knowing everyone will judge the coaching staff then and not now? They have backed themselves into a corner with far fewer options at their disposal which is arrogant and stupid. This is probably for the best as a poor performance by the team will then require a complete over haul and rebuild which is what is required.