'Consistently inconsistent' - what the All Blacks' form points to in 2026

Analysis: Familiar flaws and the loss of another coach will make the All Blacks' internal review compelling reading for NZ Rugby, writes Patrick McKendry.

An All Blacks’ Test year which began with a victory over France in Dunedin and optimism over a developing attacking strategy finished with a comfortable victory over Wales in Cardiff; albeit one during which the opposition scored 26 points and raised further questions about the flaws in Scott Robertson’s team.

In between there were some good performances: most notably the victories over South Africa at Eden Park and Ireland in Chicago, and some very poor ones – including the collapse against the Boks in Wellington and a defeat to England at Twickenham, the All Blacks’ first there since 2012.

Robertson, in his second year in charge, lost another assistant coach – Jason Holland – and finished with a 10-3 win-loss record. The All Blacks won 10 and lost four in his first year, including two defeats against the Springboks in South Africa.

And it is the threat posed by the Boks next year (four Tests in an eight-match “Greatest Rivalry” tour) and the year after at the World Cup (they are potential quarter-final opponents in Australia), which may be occupying the thoughts of the New Zealand Rugby board when they read what will be an eagerly awaited review of the All Blacks' year.

The shocking second-half meltdown against the old enemy at the Cake Tin, the departure of Holland, who elected not to renew his contract, and the recurring themes of leaky transition defence, poor discipline, an unreliable aerial game and a clunky attack will almost certainly lead to a beefing up of Robertson’s coaching crew which now consists of Jason Ryan, Tamati Ellison and Scott Hansen.

The Herald this month reported that NZ Rugby’s former head of high performance Don Tricker, who is now employed by the San Diego Padres baseball club, will be involved in the All Blacks’ review, which is a routine annual task but which has taken on added importance following the team's consistent inconsistency and Holland’s departure which came after Leon MacDonald’s last year.

As usual there will be disgruntled players regarding selections - probably few more so than Anton Lienert-Brown, who played a few minutes off the bench in Cordoba and started against France in Hamilton. His only other involvement in a Test this year was a start against Wales at the Principality Stadium.

The midfielder is likely relishing the chance for fresh opportunities on his sabbatical to Kobe Steelers next year and likewise Rieko Ioane, who was dropped from the left wing after the victory over the Boks at Eden Park.

Caleb Clarke or Leicester Fainga’anuku were preferred on the left wing ahead of Ioane, with the latter also moving ahead of him as a centre option.

Ioane’s only involvement after that Eden Park win was 30 minutes off the bench in Perth and a start in the No.13 jersey against Wales. Ioane is now representing Irish club Leinster and faces an uncertain future with the All Blacks on his return next year.

Feedback from all the players and management team will be sought for the review.

Overall, while Robertson and his coaches built depth in several positions, the team appeared to tread water in terms of skill development and their tendency to concede points quickly was a common theme in their three defeats.

Here is a view from the sidelines:

The 26-13 victory over Ireland at Soldier Field.

The All Blacks had to fight off the adversity of losing skipper Scott Barrett in the opening minutes and brother Jordie later in the first half due to injuries.

They were helped by a red card shown to lock Tadhg Beirne but Ireland were the better team during that period and Robertson’s men had to fight back from a 10-7 halftime deficit which went to 13-7 early in the second half.

However, an increasingly dominant scrum, better discipline and an attack which reaped three tries in the final quarter allowed the All Blacks to blow past Ireland in what was easily their best second-half performance of the year and perhaps ever under Robertson's reign.

Second place goes to their victory over the Boks in Auckland.

Any win over the back-to-back world champions is worth celebrating and the All Blacks were deserved victors for their defensive excellence in the opening three quarters of the Test and a more rounded attack, but a mighty Boks’ scrum in the second half as they mounted a comeback foreshadowed a disaster for Robertson’s men a week later.

Easy: the 43-10 defeat to South Africa.

Remarkably, the All Blacks led 10-7 at halftime, with wing Leroy Carter scoring a perfectly-executed try in what promised to be a dream Test debut.

Meanwhile, lock Lood de Jager, first-five Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, halfback Cobus Reinach and fullback Aphelele Fassi all departed due to injury in the opening 40 minutes but rather than fold after halftime the Boks were somehow supremely energised and scored five tries to condemn the All Blacks to a record defeat.

Robertson’s men struggled in the set piece, their lineout disintegrating in the final quarter, and, in general, lacked ideas about how to respond to the onslaught. The disarray was too much for thousands of home fans, many of whom left the stadium before the final whistle. All told, it made for quite the spectacle.

A month earlier the All Blacks backed up their victory over Argentina in Cordoba with a poor second-half performance in their defeat in Buenos Aires.

And, worryingly for the All Blacks, their defeat to England at Twickenham was entirely predictable given the All Blacks' vulnerabilities and the talent coach Steve Borthwick was able to select on his bench - another area in which Robertson’s men trail behind the Boks (and now England).

Ardie Savea

Again. The All Blacks’ loose forward leader was again hugely influential. He can virtually do it all and his breakdown steal in the final moments to help seal the victory over the Boks at Eden Park will live long in the memory. Strangely, he didn’t make the shortlist of World Rugby’s player of the year (which featured three South Africans and a Frenchman – it was awarded to Boks hooker Malcolm Marx), but he cleaned up at the New Zealand awards, winning the Super Rugby player of the year, All Blacks player of the year, and the overall Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year award.

Fabian Holland

The Dutch-born lock made his Test debut against France in Dunedin in July and played 80 minutes. Holland impressed with his work rate, energy and toughness. An excellent year for him. He started in 10 of his 12 Tests and was named World Rugby's breakthrough player of 2025.

Leicester Fainga’anuku

"Promising" may sound odd given Fainga'ankuku is aged 26 and has now played 12 Tests, but such was the impact the big wing or midfielder made when he started in the No.11 jersey against Australia in Perth that he was very quickly a fixture in the side and promises to remain so next year.

He, along with others, may have wondered why it took so long for the selectors to pick him. After arriving back from a couple of years in France, Fainga'anuku was named in the squad as a replacement for the injured Timoci Tavatavanawai in early September but had to be content with training rather than being involved in the two Tests against the Boks or the first Bledisloe Cup Test.

But such is his power and offloading ability that Fainga'anuku quickly showed he was requirement at either No.11 or No.13.

An honourable mention must go too to midfielder Quinn Tupaea who took his chances superbly on his comeback, particularly against the Wallabies in the second Bledisloe Cup Test. Tupaea and Fainga'anuku were also a formidable midfield duo against Ireland once Jordie Barrett departed with injury.

July series

Beat France 31-27 in Dunedin, 43-17 in Wellington, 29-19 in Hamilton.

Rugby Championship

Beat Argentina 41-24 in Cordoba, lost 23-29 in Buenos Aires.

Beat South Africa 24-17 at Eden Park, lost 10-43 in Wellington.

Beat Australia 33-24 at Eden Park, 28-14 in Perth.

Grand Slam tour

Beat Ireland 26-13 in Chicago.

Beat Scotland 25-17 in Edinburgh.

Lost to England 19-33 at Twickenham.

Beat Wales 52-26 in Cardiff.