All Blacks 2026
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@canefan said in All Blacks 2026:
@Jet said in All Blacks 2026:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
I actually just remembered something that Goldie Wilson said on Breakdown. He hopes we go back to traditional All Black rugby, as we have drifted away from it.
Anyway, I just waiting to see who get's the gig now. I am a JJ fan, and had wanted him for sometime , just a feeling I have, no great knowledge or anything. And as much as anything , if he gets it who will he get in his group,Is it fair to say Jamie Joseph was a bit of a grub as a player?
Remember a bit of biff from him against the English, not that I'll hold that against him.
He was a grub as I recall
Kyran Bracken's ankle would have a strong view on that.
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@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2026:
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.
Who put HIS culture first.
The Saders lapped it up.
The ABs rejected it.
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2026:
@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.
There seem to be hints that the Scott Bros didn't like the intuition which came with DMac and Love. Not the way they were used to.
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@Nepia said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2026:
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris-B We're in some weird alternate universe where I think the Crusaders coach could possibly get another go and you don't.
Remember when everyone was mocking Robbie for having a pretty mediocre win-loss record with the Wallabies?
And pretty much all subsequent coaches have had much worse records.
You start to think Robbie wasn't that bad!
I don't want to go through that pain to get Razor back!
Apart from being a Cantab, Robbie wasn't that bad. I always said I'd rather he'd have just got the coaches role instead of Domehead.
Robbie as head coach and Mitch as assistant probably would have been better. I think even Cully said that in his book.
Robbie came direct from the Glenmark factory - centred around Grizz - it's a diaspora that continues even today.
I played for a neighbouring team and know them well. Hard and ruthless feckers. He would have gone OK as an AB coach.
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@WillieTheWaiter said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@WillieTheWaiter said in All Blacks 2026:
another random thought I just had - Razor decided he didn't need Gilbert Enoka
Probably the other way round. Enoka made it pretty clear in Foster's book his concerns with the way Robertson behaved - was pretty scathing IIRC.
my new years resolution to read more rather than doom scrolling isn't going well.. I'm only on page 21.. will skip ahead! intriguing!
If you read Foster's book and see how NZR operated, you get a really good understanding of the word "dysfunctional"
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@Nepia said in All Blacks 2026:
So a little side discussion, who thinks this should be the end of Razor's AB career and who's willing to give him another shot?
If he goes away, coaches some other teams successfully, maybe some lower tier teams, obviously outside of the Cantab bubble, then I'd be happy to see him given another shot in the future, he's still a young guy. For reference I've never wanted to see Mitchell anywhere near NZ rugby.
Harlequins are interested in him according to The Times and others
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/scott-robertson-already-lined-up-33236667
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This post is deleted!
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2026:
Thinking on it more, it'd be Brown OR O'Gara really, and that's a no brainer
I wonder if Crusaders innovation came from O'Gara.
But what I really couldn't figure out is how the Crusaders grind them down and work out how to counter threats in the second 40 didn't flow through to the ABs.
That would be an onfield forward strategy leader not O'Gara I think.
The only answer I could come up with that was there in the Crusaders but missing in the Crusader coach-coached ABs (the Scotts) was Sam Whitelock. -
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:
We need to invade SA and get our man back.
It's not Speights, mind...
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@cgrant said in All Blacks 2026:
I'd like to see John Mitchell as defense coach. He did very well for England in this role.
The coach that dropped Cullen should never be allowed anywhere near the All Blacks again.
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Google Gemini Opinion on Tony Brown situation.
In the absence of a specific non-compete clause, preventing a coach like Tony Brown from joining a rival team is significantly harder, but not impossible. In the high-stakes world of international rugby, "prevention" usually takes the form of financial and procedural barriers rather than a flat legal ban.
If Tony Brown wanted to leave the Springboks for the All Blacks today, SA Rugby (SARU) could utilize the following mechanisms to block or delay him:
- The "Garden Leave" Provision
This is the most common tool used in professional rugby. Even without a non-compete, most elite contracts include a notice period (often 6 to 12 months).
How it works: If Brown resigns, SARU can insist he serves his full notice period but "sit him out."
The Result: He remains an employee of SARU, receives his salary, but is legally barred from starting work with New Zealand. This would effectively keep him "out of the game" during critical windows, such as the 2026 Rugby Championship.
- Liquidated Damages (The Buyout)
Rather than a non-compete, many coaching contracts use Liquidated Damage clauses.
The Penalty: These clauses state that if a coach leaves early for a "lateral move" (i.e., another assistant role), they (or their new employer) must pay a massive lump sum—sometimes equal to the remaining value of the contract.
The Deterrent: For Tony Brown, who recently extended his contract to 2031, this buyout could be in the millions. If NZ Rugby cannot or will not pay it, Brown is effectively "stuck" unless he pays it himself.
- Intellectual Property & NDAs
Brown is currently the architect of the Springboks' new "attacking DNA."
Confidentiality: SARU could seek an injunction if they can prove that his immediate move to a rival would result in the "inevitable disclosure" of proprietary strategies, data, and player-specific scouting that belongs to SA Rugby.
The "Gardening" compromise: Often, unions will reach a settlement where the coach is allowed to leave, but only after a certain date (e.g., after the next New Zealand vs. South Africa series) to ensure the "intellectual property" he carries is no longer "live" or immediate.
- Specific Performance & Negative Injunctions
While a court won't force a human being to coach a team they don't want to coach (this is "specific performance" and is generally illegal), they can issue a negative injunction.
This prevents a person from performing "unique services" for anyone else for the duration of their existing contract. Because Brown’s coaching ability is considered "unique," SARU could argue that they cannot simply "hire another Tony Brown," and therefore he should be barred from providing those unique services to a competitor until 2027 or beyond.
The Reality: The "Gentleman's Agreement"
In New Zealand and South African rugby culture, these battles are often settled behind closed doors. If a coach's heart is no longer in the job, Rassie Erasmus has historically been pragmatic. He famously said he wouldn't want someone in the camp who didn't want to be there.The likely "middle ground" would be:
NZ Rugby pays a significant fee to SARU.
A "Cooling Off" period is agreed upon where Brown cannot coach against the Springboks for the first year.
Would you like me to look into whether any specific "All Black out-clauses" have been confirmed in recent South African media reports?
- The "Garden Leave" Provision
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@SouthernMann said in All Blacks 2026:
Enployment law issues across different nations makes this interesting.
Courts, even in near-failed states, are loathe to hold people to specific performance when it comes to employment.
Typically when someone no longer wants to work somewhere and they're going to a competitor, there's stand down periods etc.
If Brown wants to be an All Black coach, there's not much SA can do about it. What would be most likely is he couldn't join until after the tour.
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@Cyclops said in All Blacks 2026:
It still feels like a massive longshot that he ever gets the gig again though.
Won't happen. His supposed strengths are the very reason he got booted. This wasn't a case of not having unfamiliar skills - it's a complete grotesque failure of the very thing he was supposed to be best at.
It really puts into perspective the success the Crusaders setup has had .
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Given what we’ve learned, I think it’s important to look back on individual player performances the last 2 years and not be too critical…. as we were in real time.
Yes, the sand has run through the hourglass for half a dozen of them and they should move on. But for the younger ones, and those with plenty in the tank - If these guys were struggling in a dysfunctional culture, clashes over tactics and concerns about their team-mates then it’s bound to be reflected in their performance.
On the other hand, the fact that they achieved some decent results despite this bodes well.
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@Cyclops said in All Blacks 2026:
It still feels like a massive longshot that he ever gets the gig again though.
Won't happen. His supposed strengths are the very reason he got booted. This wasn't a case of not having unfamiliar skills - it's a complete grotesque failure of the very thing he was supposed to be best at.
It really puts into perspective the success the Crusaders setup has had .
The much maligned Rob Penney took them to a title with Rivez Reihana playing 10.
I don't actually mind Rob Penney either. He'd probably be more prepared than Razor if he got a go as ABs coach in a weird sort of way (obviously he won't).
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@Cyclops said in All Blacks 2026:
It still feels like a massive longshot that he ever gets the gig again though.
Won't happen. His supposed strengths are the very reason he got booted. This wasn't a case of not having unfamiliar skills - it's a complete grotesque failure of the very thing he was supposed to be best at.
It really puts into perspective the success the Crusaders setup has had .
Know it's unfair, but I have this nagging feeling NZR were conned.
