All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson’s squad of 35 for the three-Test series against France in July may include a few newcomers but not a new game plan.
It will be based on possession, power and pace – elements of which the All Blacks did well last year in winning 10 of 14 Tests during Robertson’s first year in charge.
After studying their successes, and their failures (two defeats to the Springboks, one to Argentina and one to France), Robertson sees no point in backing away from what he believes is New Zealand’s point of difference.
Indeed, he appears willing to double down on it. All four defeats were close – the largest was by a margin of eight points (Argentina) – which makes finishing opportunities and closing out tight Tests the biggest area of development for his side this year.
In a recent interview on Sport Nation with Scotty Stevenson and Israel Dagg, Robertson said: “We will keep trusting our skillset and players and will play an expansive game.”
In that respect, Robertson said he was buoyed by the skill on show during this year’s Super Rugby competition, the closest and most compelling in years which last weekend had Moana Pasifika knocking over the defending champion Blues and overtake them into a playoff position.
“I’ve enjoyed it like everyone else,” he said. “You can see the young talent coming through. You can see the ability of teams to play in all different ways. We’re a highly-skilled nation aren’t we?”
Robertson knows, though, that greater insights into players - both incumbent and potential - will come as the New Zealand weather worsens and the playoffs begin.
Regarding his overarching strategy, there may be critics who will suggest that the All Blacks' insistence on playing a possession and width game did not consistently find the mark last year.
One imperative will be finding extra punch around the breakdown, although in loose forwards Wallace Sititi, who has extended his New Zealand contract to 2027, and Ardie Savea, they have two men capable of that.
Most fans won’t be surprised about the biggest lessons Robertson learned last year.
The All Blacks led the world champion Boks in both Tests in South Africa before fading, they had a good grip on France in Paris but let it slip, and Argentina in Wellington was just a poor performance across the board – not helped by the behind-the-scenes ructions that led to Leon MacDonald’s resignation as assistant coach days later.
“A lot of Test rugby is about discipline, [making] minimal errors, and finishing games,” Robertson said. “Those are the big areas we knew last year we do have to get better at this year. We’ve looked at it, we’ve understood it – how do you train it, the mental skills that come with it… the bench that’s required to finish games. You have the little projects you dig into.
“But fundamentally we still had the most line breaks and defenders beaten so we created a lot. The first thing is you have to remember that and work out how to finish that.”
Robertson will select 20 forwards and 15 backs for his first squad of the year – the first Test against France is in Dunedin on July 6.
He believes Will Jordan, currently sidelined at the Crusaders with an MCL knee problem – but potentially on track for a return to a Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final – may be available for that Test.
Chiefs midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown, however, faces a longer comeback from his broken collarbone.
“Will – we’re pretty confident [about] - it’s just Anton that may push the timeline,” Robertson said.
He will again favour players who can play in multiple positions. An intriguing decision will be whether he and his fellow selectors keep faith in Blues wing Mark Tele’a, who has just finished a three-match suspension for a dangerous tackle and is heading to Japan at the end of the year.
Tele’a – good under the high ball and able to wriggle out of even the tightest of spots – is uniquely suited to the rigours of Test rugby but his impending departure may open the door for raw talents such as Macca Springer from the Crusaders or Kyren Taumoefolau.
It could be, though, that Robertson feels he has enough outside back cover in Jordan, Caleb Clarke, Sevu Reece, Emoni Narawa and Stephen Perofeta.
Looking ahead to a big series against France, a momentous two Tests against the Springboks in Auckland and Wellington, as well as an Ireland Test in Chicago and Scotland, England, and Wales away, will the All Blacks be better this year, Robertson was asked.
“That’s the plan,” he said.
“We played some incredible footy at the end of last year. We’ve got to get better in some areas, we know that… we’ll keep trusting our skillset and players and will play an expansive game. How do we finish and set our teams up? That’s the exciting part.”
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