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Steve Hansen: This is the year we see what Razor's All Blacks are made of
By Ned Lester
Sir Steve Hansen says 2025 is the year we’ll learn exactly how good Scott Robertson’s All Blacks are after a promising yet imperfect 2024.
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Four losses in the calendar year dented “Razor’s” opening campaign at the helm, having earned promotion to the All Blacks throne with seven Super Rugby titles in as many years with the Crusaders.
Hansen, who coached Robertson at the Crusaders, has always believed in his former pupil while maintaining his trademark dose of realism about the degree of challenge shifting from club to international coaching poses.
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“I just think they’re all trying to find their feet,” Hansen told Sport Nation’s Beaver & Guy.
“The whole coaching staff and a lot of the backroom staff are all new to international rugby and it’s been a long time since that many people have been new to the team. So, it’s different, it’s totally different to where they’ve come from and the rugby’s different. The travel’s different. It’s just not the same thing.
“So, they’ll have done a lot of learning in the last 12 months and realised some of the stuff that they were wanting to do might not be what’s needed to be done, and then they’ll have worked out that some the stuff they’ve done is good.
“The next 12 months is how we can really judge them.”
The record speaks for itself, with a 74.1 per cent win rate thanks to a brace of losses to the reigning world champions in South Africa, also coming up short against powerful performances from Argentina and France.
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Hansen, who boasts an 87 per cent win rate over his entire eight-year tenure as All Blacks coach, knows the pressure to get results is uncompromising.
“They’ll need to be better because New Zealanders expect them to be,” he said. “There’s no All Blacks team that’s allowed to go out and just have mediocre performances and not win. They’ll need to win more and they’ll need to play better.
“That’s the pressure you have; it’s constant when you’re with the All Blacks. They’ll now know that, they’ve experienced it, so they’ll want to tidy up the back end of their games. It’s been well-reported they haven’t scored a lot of points in the last 40; they’ll be scratching their heads trying to work out why that’s been the case.”
The knighted World Cup winner is back in coaching this year after occupying a Director of Rugby role with Toyota Verblitz in Japan’s Rugby League One over recent seasons. He is joined by Ian Foster, who headed the All Blacks era between him and Robertson.
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The pair are reunited after spearheading a historic winning period in international rugby with the All Blacks.
“The tool belt’s back on, and thankfully, I have Fozzie here to assist me and help.
“It’s going good. I’m enjoying it, enjoying being back with him and actually enjoying being back on the field and doing a bit of coaching. It’s been fun.”
When the chance to move from the office back onto the field came his way, Hansen insisted Foster join him.
With Foster’s turbulent stint as All Blacks coach now in the rearview, Hansen says he’s better for the experience and now at the top of his game. Hansen also admitted both he and Foster still harbour some of the negativity that was thrown their way while leading New Zealand.
“He’s a bit like me, still carrying a bit of weight. But, honestly, I think he’s coaching now better than he’s ever coached. He’s enjoying himself, he’s having fun and he’s with people he trusts away from the limelight obviously.
“He did a marvellous job with the All Blacks, in the end, I think he earned the respect of just about everybody, just the way he coped, his honesty and integrity, and the job he did. I don’t think he’s looking backwards, he’s looking forwards. I know he’s enjoying it up here.”
The real disappointment with the All Blacks in 2024 was the loss to Argentina. If they have indeed fixed those sorts of dull performances that plagued Fosters reign then every game is basically a win this year, based off performances this year.
So I don't think the next 12 months will be the telling, as most people will find it hard to analyze and compare real improvement in play. If if Hansen has it right about the sorts of adjustments needed, then that would also point to the third year really being the telling one.
This is the year of improvement sure, but as every game should be a win anyway, the only thing we are really likely to know is that in the 'what's good' and 'whats bad' was misjudged by Razor if the team happens to lose a bunch and be obviously worse. Which shouldn't really be possible, but when you have the outside factors like sitting on your laurels waiting for Frizell, Mounga, Leicester to turn, then you can see it being possible.
I wonder why Herring wasn't replaced after leaving? Foster not ready to take the mantel or did Steve really want to get back into it?
Fully expect Razor and co to make the same mistakes again, the main one being backing players purely because of their test-cap numbers, and only promoting youth when those older players pick up an injury. If they lose, for some reason these veterans seem to get the next game to 'redeem themselves', which almost blew up in their face against Italy.
Players should also be dropped for continued ill-discipline, which is still a huge issue for this side. ALB spent more time sitting in the naughty chair than playing last year, and yet zero selection consequences for it.
If Razor is still only sporting around a 70% win rate come seasons end, the NZR should be tapping Joseph and Cotter on the shoulder.
What win rate should he achieve, 90%. Sorry, those times are over, there are too many quality teams nowadays. And that's only good for rugby.
Re your comment , keeping players there to long. TJ Perenara, being taken on the northern tour. Crusader Noah Hotham , while picked in the NZ 15 , should have gone as one of the 3 halfbacks. Dallas McLeod had a great season for Canterbury , got in NZ 15, could have gone with the All Blacks. Then again Billy Proctor got so little chances. Wellington team mate Riley Higgins I rate too.
The expectation this year is that the ABs will return to the top of the tree. Razor's honeymoon period is now over and the rugby public now expects wins in every match they play this year. Challenging to say the least.
Didn't we expect it last year?
Hansen imo rode the coattails of a great team he inherited from Graham Henry. Once that crop moved on he was found out as a coach. He’s not a bad coach, but being knighted for winning with that McCaw era team is a bit lucky. If he coached Wales or Italy I doubt he would have made a dent. Anyways he has the swagger of a 400 ton whale 🐋 and thinks his opinion of people is oh so important.
Only reason he had some value as AB coach! Otherwise Foster would have been Hansen 2.0 lol
Hard to see the AB's not finishing 2025 in the no 1 spot. If Borthwick can get England with their undeniably talented squad to click they'll be up there but that's a big if. The Australians can also have a good year if their administrators stop with all the political nonsense that has ripped the game apart. Ireland's depth will be a problem and France will be their traditional hot and cold performers. The rest will make up the numbers.
🤣
The All Blacks wont have it too tough this year, its easy by comparison to last year. 2 test matches against SA at home should see them favourites for both and then a home series against a second string France should pose no great threat. Argentina in the Rugby Championship away for 2 matches might prove challenging but they will be battle hardened by then. Wallabies will be a threat away from home but they should overcome them and then the end of year tour should be easier than last year so while I am sure there will be challenges this year is much more palatable than last year
Second string France.... yes, no players from the Top14 final in that team. But still, a very, very talented side willing to play attacking rugby. They could cause us some serious problems. They beat a full strength Argentina in Argentina. The same team that beat us in Wellington last year. Not going to be a walk in the park.
“He’s coaching better now than he’s ever coached”. Heard that before.
But yeah, Surf Jesus better deliver this year. He’s had the cushy new coach kid gloves treatment from the rugby public.
Time to hold him to account.
It's only been 6 months man, I kinda would imagine that would last a bit longer. A lot were starting to get disappointed before he even got a team together though, so will see what sort of picture he paints throughout this Super Rugby season (he has been much better so far this year).
No he didn’t. He was treated very poorly!