All Blacks 2026
-
@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.
-
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.
-
@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.
-
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
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.
If you think that's what I said, you need to work on your reading comprehension. You are defending Foster when there has been no attack (other than on his shit results).
To be as clear as I can: the fault lies not with Foster but with NZR in that they handled the Foster process so badly that it is quite possible that players with loyalty to Foster would be pissed off with Robertson. -
-
@sparky said in All Blacks 2026:
I would welcome seeing Sir Steve Hansen back involved with the All Blacks either as a coach or a selector or an adviser. Smart guy, driven, humble, always there for his players.
Take no shit sort of guy too.Likes putting the players on edge.
-
Another thing about Razor, is he put himself forward as this 'culture coach' which is all well and good if things are going well, but with all the reports on here, he seemed to fail miserably at it and flog everyone off to either Scott Hansen or just ignore every issue (along with treating Dalton Papali'i like a dog).
It baffles me that he was seen as that guy who put culture first, and did the complete opposite to it.
-
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@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.Ok Chris, I know I different to you and a few, but I genuinely don't think I know more than the coaches on what they want from players. I have no problem admitting that .
My opinion if the coach keeps picking the players and we keep losing? That perhaps we just not good enough to win? I usually have an opinion on how players are going, but genuinely as I said, just my opinion, and have never really thought I know more than the coaches etc. Or anyone for that matter, just I realise that if enough experienced and pro coahes etc think differently, I perhaps realise I should admit they have the data, plans etc that I am ignorant of, -
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@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.Ok Chris, I know I different to you and a few, but I genuinely don't think I know more than the coaches on what they want from players. I have no problem admitting that .
My opinion if the coach keeps picking the players and we keep losing? That perhaps we just not good enough to win? I usually have an opinion on how players are going, but genuinely as I said, just my opinion, and have never really thought I know more than the coaches etc. Or anyone for that matter, just I realise that if enough experienced and pro coahes etc think differently, I perhaps realise I should admit they have the data, plans etc that I am ignorant of,Ok I just was interested in how you would think if that happened.
-
@jimmyb said in All Blacks 2026:
I’m not trying to twist and turn so apologies if I am. I just see him (and Beuden) as part of the systemic rot in the ABs environment and he needs to go
Fair enough. I'd like to see Ardie in the 23 but something isn't working and other players need to be tried. With Beauden he surprised me in that English game but the backline isn't working and it seems to me DMac (who isn't everyone's favourite here) gets that ball moving better. I can't understand why Beauden can't improve his kicking, he improved his tackling from when he started but his kicking is - not international standard IMHO.
Plus they really have to build depth at 10. It's been one of my personal gripes. I have been disappointed with how conservative Razor's mob have been with that backline. -
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2026:
Too many posts to go back over, unsure if already posted but this new page popped up on my SM, shameless
From sources inside nzr? Has TSF changed its name?
-
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2026:
Foster knew this. He was treated badly
Ditto Robertson in many ways. I hope Kirk questions how much assessment & support they gave the tyro manager they appointed as AB Coach. The problems which came to a head today, didn't just suddenly manifest themselves
-
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2026:
Plus they really have to build depth at 10. It's been one of my personal gripes. I have been disappointed with how conservative Razor's mob have been with that backline.
It was obvious that Robertson was in a holding pattern at 1st 5 until Mo'unga returned. The threat of losing also leads to conservative selections. The new AB coach needs to be bolder and be prepared to make some tough calls.
-
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2026:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2026:
Too many posts to go back over, unsure if already posted but this new page popped up on my SM, shameless
From sources inside nzr? Has TSF changed its name?
Haha who runs that account on here team?
-
@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.......
Yup that is too long a bow to draw...
-
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2026:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2026:
It was obvious that Robertson was in a holding pattern at 1st 5 until Mo'unga returned. The threat of losing also leads to conservative selections. The new AB coach needs to be bolder and be prepared to make some tough calls.
I don't disagree with you. I was surprised DMac stayed after hearing that.
-
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@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.Ok Chris, I know I different to you and a few, but I genuinely don't think I know more than the coaches on what they want from players. I have no problem admitting that .
My opinion if the coach keeps picking the players and we keep losing? That perhaps we just not good enough to win? I usually have an opinion on how players are going, but genuinely as I said, just my opinion, and have never really thought I know more than the coaches etc. Or anyone for that matter, just I realise that if enough experienced and pro coahes etc think differently, I perhaps realise I should admit they have the data, plans etc that I am ignorant of,Ok I just was interested in how you would think if that happened.
I agree with you Chris. The career of Eddie Jones has really convinced me of the good or bad impact a coach and his team can have.
-
@sparky said in All Blacks 2026:
I would welcome seeing Sir Steve Hansen back involved with the All Blacks either as a coach or a selector or an adviser. Smart guy, driven, humble, always there for his players.
Advisor maybe. I thought Luatua was handled pretty badly.
