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'He wants players to be able to play four positions': Former All Black critiques Robertson's strategy
By Henry Lee
Former All Black Justin Marshall has boldly disagreed with All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson over his love of hybrid role players, that allow them to be able to play more than one position on the field.
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We’ve already seen multiple players in the spotlight play different positions in 2025 for their Super Rugby Pacific teams, like Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett both playing fullback rather than first-five, and Timoci Tavatavanawai playing second-five rather than on the wing.
But Marshall has questioned the approach that All Blacks coach Robertson has taken so far in the role on Sports Nation’s Bunnings Trade Rugby Run.
“Yeah, I think it’s detrimental to be perfectly honest. I’ll be able to sit down and have a beer with Scott Robertson over this, and he’ll disagree with me because he wants hybrid players,” Marshall said on Sports Nation.
“He wants players that can play at least four positions, in certain jerseys.”
McKenzie and Barrett have both spent time at both first-five and fullback but have also been used predominantly at No.10 for Robertson’s All Blacks.
Marshall believes that the players aren’t getting enough game time specifically in the jersey that they may wear for the All Blacks.
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“But in my mind when I look at some of the key jerseys, and No.10 is another one, do they play fullback? Do they play first five?
“They’re not getting enough time in the jersey to go through adversity, like I’d like to see someone like Damian McKenzie or Beauden Barrett, play the entire Super Rugby competition in that jersey and work their way through problems.
“Being a good 10 is solving problems like in a game, and being able to then change the picture, change the game plan, the dynamic, kick strategy, all of that sort of stuff comes into it.
“You can’t do that when you’re finding yourself in different areas of the field.”
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The 81-Test former All Black urges the Super Rugby Pacific coaches to play the people in whatever position they want their players to, rather than what the All Blacks coaches suggest.
“But ultimately if you’re strong enough as a Super Rugby coach, then you know that your head is on the chopping block.
“So you’ve got to pick the players and the jerseys that you feel is going to benefit your team and keep you your job.
“If they raise it, you want him playing 15, but at the end of the day, what’s best for my team now and the way I want to coach a side, is he plays N0.10.”
When Marshall is asked about why Robertson wants to persist with the hybrid roles that players are doing nowadays, he claims that Robertson may feel like the longer they play in his system, the better they will be.
“I guess he could argue that he’s trying to get to a certain place and the team playing a type of game that he feels suits those types of hybrid players, once they grow into it, they will be very hard to stop.”
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Good on former Crusaders and All Black great Justin Marshall for having his say. A lot of people are knocking him on here. I say well done. Playing people in their proper positions is a related issue, under Foster and Razor. Will Jordan was not played at fullback until Beauden got injured. Jeff Wilson called him the best fullback in the world and he is right. The difference he made in his Super Rugby return for the Crusaders on Friday was huge. Time and speed.
Typical blame game. You realise thats Razor you’re critizing, a Crusader? lol
Jordan was reintroduced on the wing because he’d had no rugby, he could have been switched to fb soon enough.
Mate he played 31 tests at wing and scored 31 tries. He did OK at wing. The thing is over the years many many 15s have played wing for the ABs. Abs had a policy of selecting a 15 at 14. Guys like Dagg, Jane, B Smith etc. I believe Smith was the best alrounder Ive seen.
I mean let's look at what Galthié is doing with France… same story. Makes 80% of french supporters crazy. The team wins matches that don't matter and loses important ones because there's no depth. Wasted best generation of France in decades in the search of ultimate polyvalence….
He’s obviously exaggerating a bit, but valuing players hybrid ability over how good they are in their core role can lead to mediocre and out of form players retaining their place in the team because they can be mediocre and out of form in multiple positions.
Long term injuries are hampering NZ rugby far more than in-game emergencies that require all these hybrid players. Building and retaining squad depth should be a priority over working out how to indefinitely develop versatility in a limited number of players.
There is a role for a utility back and a versatile loosie for sure, but only where they are the best or second best in one position. There is no point in having someone who is the 4th best 12 in the team because they are also the 4th best 13.
ABs definitely overweight versatility in their selections and at times it really shows, and makes it difficult to retain people who are the second and third best in a position, because they will be overlooked for someone who is the 5th best but also the 4th best at another position.
Yeah, that faiablility as a coach is what I credited as the reason he didn’t use a 6/2 bench. He’s overvaluing the impact/likelyhood of “in-game emergencies”.
What about having the 2nd best 12 in the 23 because he’s also the 3rd best 13?
Funnily enough Robertson is just copying what kiwis coaches have been doing in Australia to try and undermine us. What goes around cometh around.
Is Joe Schmidt actually making the Wallabies better, or has he developed the con to a new level?
Will he unleash his dastardly new plan against the Lions, to lose all three games 100+ nil?
What new method do you think Schmidt (and the NZRU, along with World Rugby) are planning to use to keep the Wallabies down this time?
Why does Rugby Australia not see this? Are they in on the plan? Or is Robertson Rugby Australia’s attempt to even the score?
Are you and Phil Kerns good mates? Or are you Phil Kerns?
I am interest to know how much of your ‘shtick‘ is genuine and how much is just trolling? If you really believe what you write, get help.