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'I find that difficult': Ex-All Black unhappy with Robertson's double World Cup comments
By Sam Smith
Former All Black Jeff Wilson has criticised Scott Robertson for heaping pressure on New Zealand Rugby with his latest comments made on The Big Jim show.
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Speaking on Sky Sport NZ’s The Breakdown show, the former right wing found it ‘difficult’ to hear of Robertson’s ambition of winning the World Cup with two teams, a clear indication that the Crusaders coach would leave New Zealand.
Robertson spoke of being ‘open to offers’ from abroad which Wilson felt put unnecessary pressure on incumbent head coach Ian Foster and New Zealand Rugby’s decision to retain him.
“The trouble is that Scott Robertson has come out and said he wants to win two Rugby World Cups with two different teams, he wants to get the opportunity to coach at the international level,” Wilson told the panel on The Breakdown.
“It’s interesting he said that when he’s actually under contract with New Zealand Rugby. I find that difficult.
“The fact that he is going to coach the Barbarians … I think he had the opportunity to coach the All Blacks XV, he turned that down.
“So, we know exactly where Scott Robertson sits right now. His expectations are that he wants to go to the next level.
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“But they [the All Blacks] have a job to do and I think this has put, in some ways, New Zealand Rugby in a really difficult situation.
“Where does Ian Foster sit right now? He knows that he has got two test matches to deliver.”
“Does this help the situation, though, him doing that interview when the All Blacks are under all sorts of pressure? Does this conversation help New Zealand Rugby, him coming out and saying this?”
Scott Robertson had detailed his situation with Jim Hamilton on a recent Big Jim Show podcast, explaining that he believes his future lies in international rugby after six straight titles with the Crusaders in Super Rugby.
“It’s one job [All Blacks coach] and when someone doesn’t give it to you you have to think differently, what opportunities are out there?” he said.
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“I’ll be coming into my seventh year as the Crusaders coach next year, I have loved it all, it has been incredible but no one last in a job forever so I am open. It’s probably the way I can answer it.
“If New Zealand Rugby want me, great. If there is another club, country, probably country, I wouldn’t go to a club now.
“I really want to go to Rugby World Cup, I genuinely want to go to a couple. I’m 47, I’ll be 52 by the time the next Rugby World Cup comes around [Australia 2027 after France next year]. I want to get to two or three and test myself, push myself. I am open (to offers), yeah.”
Robinson is the top coach in NZ. He gets results. Get rid of the has beens. Fosters had his day and done stuff all
Jeff Wilson has to make a headline for himself it's part of his Sky Sports media job, and Scott Robertson is still a developing NZ sports story that refuses to go away, but will any of that matter later, that is the real question.
If you want to interpret Scott's podcast comments you could think that Robertson knows his name wont be at the top of the All Blacks head coach list, a successful larger than life character he may be but he's also an extrovert who may not be in favour with the NZRU hierarchy if Foster decides to resign, Robertson tends to attract too much attention to himself with his stated ambitions, Scott choosing to use the media to publicize his RWC coaching agenda wont go down well with Mark Robinson who is probably trying to smooth the waters after an PR nightmare of a start to the international rugby season, which is why he will just wait and see how the coming Rugby Championship games turn out, and not just the tour of South Africa.
I doubt Scott will get the top coaching job without waiting for his turn in the queue and serving in a supporting coaching role within the All Black camp first, if he cant handle that then he should start looking elsewhere, now.
Actually I find it refreshing for someone in a rugby interview to say something beyond the usual bland platitudes. Ian Foster has managed to say precisely zero in several years, Razor spoke more honestly and with substance in a single podcast. NZR decided not to employ him as an international coach, therefore he may look elsewhere. No different in any industry.
Scott Robertson is under no contractual obligations to not talk about future ambitions. If NZR want to be part of that then they need to do something about it. His comments have nothing to do with why the All Blacks and NZR are under pressure now.