Test rugby’s merry-go-round continues apace, but where do the sackings of Wayne Pivac from Wales and Eddie Jones from England leave Scott Robertson and, indeed, the All Blacks?
Potentially a little closer, providing the rumours from England that Steve Borthwick will be Jones’ long-term replacement are correct.
Had Jones survived until after the World Cup – as many predicted given his record as England’s most successful coach (a 73 per cent winning rate) and the huge financial cost of sacking him – the wildly successful Robertson would be far more likely to be in the frame.
As it is – and it’s difficult to judge anything with certainty given rugby’s current football-like volatility – Borthwick, a former England captain and later an assistant coach under Jones until 2020, is said to be likely to get the nod from the RFU.
It was business as usual today for Robertson, who was overseeing the Crusaders’ pre-season training at Christchurch’s Malvern Park next to their Rugby Park headquarters – now highly likely to be his workplace until at least the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific playoffs which start in June.
Snubbed by New Zealand Rugby in late 2019 as Steve Hansen’s replacement as head coach of the All Blacks, Robertson was suddenly very much back in the mix as Ian Foster’s potential replacement in August but for the side’s rescue job in Johannesburg, helped, it must be said, by Robertson’s former assistant at the Crusaders, Jason Ryan.
After apparently being lined up to replace Foster and then told he wasn’t required after all, Robertson has not surprisingly put his focus on the Crusaders for his seventh and final season in Super Rugby. He has won a title every year since he started in 2017.
There are a few of other points to consider after a couple of wild days for the sport.
One is that England went very close to beating the All Blacks last month despite being 19 points down with only nine minutes remaining, and that they only began playing with real freedom when the game was all but up; a pattern of behaviour which was continued a week later as the Springboks did what the All Blacks couldn’t and closed out a comfortable 27-13 victory.
The performances in the draw and loss over consecutive weekends hinted at a team possessing structure, quality and spirit along with a fear of making mistakes – individually and collectively.
Even allowing for their set piece and mauling troubles against the All Blacks and South Africa, which Borthwick, a former lock, will presumably have a handle on, which of the dour Borthwick or charismatic Robertson would be most likely to unlock England’s creative side?
I know which one I’d pick because one of Robertson’s greatest attributes is his ability to motivate his players to express themselves creatively and with utter commitment.
The man known around the world as Razor was in London last month talking about the potential of this England team but that door appears closed now, although others may not be.
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, yet another Kiwi, had only a 35 per cent winning record this year (Foster's was 61 per cent) and while he is contracted until the World Cup, his future is not assured after that. Robertson still has options outside of becoming Foster’s replacement.
Which brings us to Gatland’s comments at his final Chiefs press conference yesterday after he was announced as Pivac’s replacement.
“Things have changed in world rugby,” Gatland said, after saying Robertson was the only viable option as new All Blacks coach.
“I think in the past New Zealand would advertise for the All Blacks’ position and think that 30 coaches in the world would put their name forward and all of the sudden they realise ‘oh, we’ve only got two coaches putting their names forward’ which is what happened last time,” Gatland said.
“That process should be starting now. You can’t wait until after the World Cup and think that people will come knocking at your door because that doesn’t happen in professional sport.”
One wonders where the motivation for Gatland to say such a thing on his way out the door came from; perhaps he was irked that he wasn’t contacted as a candidate to replace Hansen and indeed Foster.
Whatever, it was accurate and should serve as a reminder for NZ Rugby that while the game in Wales, England and to a certain extent Australia is in a state of flux, the clock is ticking on a confirmation on the top All Blacks job for 2024 and beyond.
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