All Blacks 2026
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Was trying to imagine what the factions inside camp were. Realised that alongside the Crusaders and the Islanders, the other faction must be the golfers. The crusaders were walking around like teachers pets having bants, inside jokes and glory days with Razor, the islanders would do morning prayer and a cup of tea with Jason Ryan and then try to avoid the crusaders crew - meanwhile the golfers are actively avoiding scott hansen and trying to set up meet ups with PGA bros and new sponsorships, editing golf clips and coming up with business ideas. All adding up to major disharmony in the camp
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@Tim said in All Blacks 2026:
Reading that piece, i have to ask who in NZR was looking after Robertson and providing feedback and guidance when he was clearly and obviously out of his comfort zone/depth. If the NZR Board were shocked or surprised by the player feedback, why were they?
Sounds like poor man managament wasn't just in the AB dressing room.
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Ok I got question for posters going forward this year. We have opinions on BB , Ardie etc being in team. If they are still picked by new coach, are you still going to get behind them, or are you perhaps going to admit that they should be there? Or are we smarter than even another AB coach? Remembering they pick players for how they want team to play, and with all the info on them, not from watching a bit on tv (with just a few angles) and occasional trip to a game. I will be interested to see responses from whatever players etc are picked.
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@Victor-Meldrew yeah I asked the question re the 2024 player reviews, surely this highlighted issues.
Or did shit just hit the fan in 2025?
Do we keep pointing fingers to Robinson here? He'd have been aware, or should have been?
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The individual who should be the next All Blacks coach is the candidate who can give the best answer to this obvious interview question: " We are likely to play a World Cup quarter final against the Springboks. They've won the last two World Cups, How is your side going to beat them in that crucial game for our team?"
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@Dan54 That will be the most interesting watch when the new coaching team is assembled what they do with those 2..
I think most likely both stay in the squad due to their experience etc but hopefully less game time (bench roles prefer) but put down to better player welfare/management.
Others will be given time in the saddle to develop depth and test match experience and hopefully they thrive and the others then begin to be phased out slowly but surely.
Thats how I see it - injuries always come into selections and if DMac and all the loosies fall over then you may need a safety net for big tests.
I see that more likely than say JJ gets the role and wants to wield his axe dropping what he doesn't want onto the scrap heap..
Its been done before though - Laurie with the Whettons etc but times have changed -
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
Ok I got question for posters going forward this year. We have opinions on BB , Ardie etc being in team. If they are still picked by new coach, are you still going to get behind them, or are you perhaps going to admit that they should be there? Or are we smarter than even another AB coach? Remembering they pick players for how they want team to play, and with all the info on them, not from watching a bit on tv (with just a few angles) and occasional trip to a game. I will be interested to see responses from whatever players etc are picked.
I expect both will be selected in the first squad of the year and may even be starting initially. If they do get to play and play well, that's great and I'll admit I was wrong. If they play and continue to play poorly, they should be dropped. If they're not, the new coaching group will be making the same mistakes. I won't admit I've been wrong to criticise the players just because the new coaches select them - it's down to performance.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2026:
The individual who should be the next All Blacks coach is the candidate who can give the best answer to this obvious interview question: " We are likely to play a World Cup quarter final against the Springboks. They've won the last two World Cups, How is your side going to beat them in that crucial game for our team?"
Reckon a 6 year old with a great imagination could come up with a cracking answer. At least he could have longevity in the role I guess.
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@kidcalder said in All Blacks 2026:
@Dan54 That will be the most interesting watch when the new coaching team is assembled what they do with those 2..
I think most likely both stay in the squad due to their experience etc but hopefully less game time (bench roles prefer) but put down to better player welfare/management.
Others will be given time in the saddle to develop depth and test match experience and hopefully they thrive and the others then begin to be phased out slowly but surely.
Thats how I see it - injuries always come into selections and if DMac and all the loosies fall over then you may need a safety net for big tests.
I see that more likely than say JJ gets the role and wants to wield his axe dropping what he doesn't want onto the scrap heap..
Its been done before though - Laurie with the Whettons etc but times have changedYeah.
In this era you could not do what Laurie Mains did. Frank Bunce (who considers Laurie his best coach) has said exactly that.
With the younger generations of millennials and Z you got to be a little more cautious in your approach. They don't respond to being dealt with abrasively.
A part of the problems between the coaches and players seems to me to be a generational divide.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
Yep, and you have to wonder whether player loyalty to Foster meant there was a bit of angst at him being treated badly, which easily translates into anti-Robertson feeling when things aren't going well. Combine that with factions within the team and shit can go south quick.
Yep. Foster def. to blame for Robertson's departure.......
Oh piss off mate. You're even going to come to his defence for imagined slights now?
Amazing Ian Foster 1 point loss with 14 men to best everest Boks!
Or in reality: worse coaching record than the guy who just got deservedly sacked.Defence? Accused of that - and more - multiple times when I argued the problems weren't all down to Foster.
Remind us again how the magic solution of swapping the coaching team went.....
I think the more relevant reminders might be of the nature of the dreadful defeats and lack of improvement in obvious problem areas we suffered under Foster, rather than every 2nd time you mention him bringing up one game (which remember we actually lost) as if that were the appropriate measure. The equivalent would be someone harping on about Robertson actually defeating the Boks last year in one game - but nobody is doing that.
I agree with you - and so does just about everyone else - that there were problems beyond Foster. That doesn't make him any good. And it is quite reasonable to suggest that a shit removal process with a previous boss who you liked is going to influence your opinion on his replacement - especially given the circumstances. Nowhere did I suggest that was Foster's fault, but you leap to his defence like always? -
I think both Ardie and BB have alot to offer, but both need to play within patterns, my assumption is that both were given free reign to play how they wanted, and as evidenced in the 2nd bok test, it didn't seem the hearts were in it, so this will have been a factor in play too
Both probably would be better impact players at this point of careers, imo.
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@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
Ok I got question for posters going forward this year. We have opinions on BB , Ardie etc being in team. If they are still picked by new coach, are you still going to get behind them, or are you perhaps going to admit that they should be there? Or are we smarter than even another AB coach? Remembering they pick players for how they want team to play, and with all the info on them, not from watching a bit on tv (with just a few angles) and occasional trip to a game. I will be interested to see responses from whatever players etc are picked.
'My eyes tell me they are playing shit, but the coach picked them so I guess they must be playing great'
yeah nah. -
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
Ok I got question for posters going forward this year. We have opinions on BB , Ardie etc being in team. If they are still picked by new coach, are you still going to get behind them, or are you perhaps going to admit that they should be there? Or are we smarter than even another AB coach? Remembering they pick players for how they want team to play, and with all the info on them, not from watching a bit on tv (with just a few angles) and occasional trip to a game. I will be interested to see responses from whatever players etc are picked.
What is your thinking if the coach selects these two and they play poorly as they have and we keep losing.
Is the coach poor are these two poor or is it just close eyes and hope. -
Right, as suggested ive gone through this thread right to the beginning to get a timeline and break down the events that lead to yesterdays dramatic turn of events.
This is just based on this thread alone. Not from anywhere else..-
Thread begins innocently November 26th by @nzzp with the fixtures for this year
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1101537
shit posting ensures, not exactly positve for the incoming year.. -
Things start getting interesting November 27th with @Young-Hamiltons post re Scott Hansen is the one actually coaching the AB's, not Robertson
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1101798 -
December 3rd and the dreaded 'review' is first mentioned by @Frank
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1102832 -
December 7th its announced the Coaching set up is looking at making changes as posted by @Tim
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1103653 -
December 10th @Landers92 comments that Nick Evans is the new assistant
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1103958 -
December 13th the cracks behind the scenes start to show as posted by @Tim
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1104316
@canefan called it..
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1104339 "I can't see how this improves trust unless they bin the coaches"
Rumors and talk of Dalton Papalii turning down being selected for the team on last years NH tour are brought up.
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1104412
We need to fast forward a few weeks....
- 3 days ago @Landers92 posts some juicy goss
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1107200
"Been pretty slack posting over the Christmas break but here’s what I’ve been told that I can post.
Beauden Barrett is heavily trusted by Razor and co to the point he is effectively running the trainings. Dmac has a say but by all accounts BB is the guy who has final say.
Yes your 10’s usually run your team runs etc, but from what I’m told BB is doing more than just that. Makes you wonder what the roles of these current coaches actually are.
There was also a high profile All Black that was out after the England game until 5am which broke curfew, he didn’t get dropped or punished which is a bit of a double standard as EDG was kept out of a couple games for the same thing on last years EOYT.
By all accounts, and I’m pointing out the obvious here, it’s pretty toxic in camp"-
Its mentioned the review is done and the final decision is on hold...not for very long in the end apparently
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Then @george33 posts a couple of interesting tidbits of info including news that Ardie is unlikely to play again under the current coaching team
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1107216
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1107257
- things get juicer later that day...
@george33 commenting hes heard Robertson is likely to walk followed by news Kirk is going to sack him
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1107283
@george33 comments again
So have heard from another source is that Razor is gone or stepping away .
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1107323- @MacDazzler with the understatement of the year award..
This thread has gotten very interesting.
Cue lots of shit posting and usual Fern chatter....
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Then 2 days ago
@george33 with more great sauce My source came back and said coaches will be told this but no official announcement until new coaches are signed on he's hearing Joseph and Brown .That's all he's hearing. How it plays out have to wait and see. -
A day later the NZ Herald gets into the act as shared by @Tim
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1107596
@george33 posts that Robertson is gone
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1107694More online news sites publish stories all but confirming Scott Robertson is going to be sacked, somehow a news site in Ireland is first to pick this story up (Pay wall)
https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/scott-robertson-to-depart-all-blacks-head-coach-role-as-player-power-forces-nzr-hand/a1191576889.htmlLocal sites start picking the story up
https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/01/15/scott-robertson-axed-as-all-blacks-coach/
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360924724/speculation-mounting-all-blacks-coach-scott-robertson-could-be-sacked@Chris updates with more sauce Ok so this what I have amongst all the rumours etc take it for what it is.
The Board is being presented the Review findings today.
Razor has not officially been sacked yet the Board has to vote on it.
Probably will happen as the Board normally goes with the recommendation's from the Review.
Razor has asked to present to the board before any final decisions are made.
From a good source but there is many different stories out there.
https://forum.silverfern.rugby/post/1108211- Then its confirmed
The fern
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@ARHS said in All Blacks 2026:
I am impressed at how the NZRU Board and especially David Kirk have handled this. It is an amazing turnaround to some of the oversights and odd decisions that lead things to this point.
I was staggered at a lot of the stuff reaching media and social media. The way Ian Foster was treated, rankled with me. The regular demands to bring back offshore players undermined those committed to the cause. Then LF fast tracked back in when others like Dmac correctly had to wait through a process.
The most notable thing from this era is the 'stealth influencing'. The AB culture must be bad when there are constant insider leaks about everything. And whenever a controversial move or statement is about to come, the same journalists and social media people amazingly post articles seemingly designed to influence support.
The article featuring two stuff journos last week really irked me, as if it was trying to justify things that had not yet happened. Does make me wonder just how influentially calculated a lot of the information we read is nowadays.I have read a few comments on social media and am appalled at how venomous and uninformed so many people are. Can't believe the venom against Ardie in particular, and the Barretts.
Razor tried to inject some positive change into his role and gave it everything he had. But it was simply not what the team need for the international arena. It was not a mutiny by selfish players. End of story.This is meant to be a high performance environment Of one of the greatest teams in sport.
Coaches are paid incredibly well for their expertise and ability to handle the pressure of winning every week.
Foster knew this. Foster accepted this. He was not treated badly. He was failing.
Same thing with Razor. Scrutiny, transparency, accountability and pressure is a daily part of your life as AB coach.
You are hired for your ability to absorb pressure and create a team to match and improve the All Black legacy.
For some time the AB’s felt like they were very un all black like and we were not a high performance environment.
Today was proof that we do not accept the drop in standards and performance.
We are the All Blacks. Its the first time, in a long time that we have acted like it.
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If you think pointing out the absurdity of an argument that Foster's ability to create a decent team environment & inspire loyalty somehow caused Robertson's downfall is defending Foster, then be my guest.
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@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2026:
Foster knew this. Foster accepted this. He was not treated badly. He was failing.
Foster knew this. He was treated badly - but only by having a board and CEO without a backbone. Foster should have had one of two things, either moved on quickly and painlessly, or endorsed and supported. He got both with no indication of whether he was meeting expectations or not.
Kirk is a breath of fresh air. The last boards should hang their heads in shame - they screwed Super, sold part of the family silver to the 'lake and botched coaching appointments and high performance.
