Scott Robertson has lost his job as coach of New Zealand's rugby team, the mighty All Blacks. It was to be expected. He hadn't measured up as the team at times looked disjointed and lacking direction, and they could just collapse at critical times. During his tenure, the All Blacks won 74% of their games played, which is similar to the amateur era, and well below what is expected of a fully professional outfit. As pro's they're expected to win more than 80% of all matches played.
Personally, I think the rot began even before Robertson took over. That's because he was announced as the next coach before the incumbent had even taken his team to the 2023 World Cup. That they made the final was a truly incredible achievement when you consider that the coaching staff had no job after that final game. That coach, Ian Foster, is due a major apology. If he's available, he should be offered his old job back.
Then, Robertson chose Scott Barrett as All Blacks captain. That job is more important than that of prime minister in NZ, but the problem was that he's not good enough to keep his position on the field. So the team was always down one lock, effectively, while the team was often going backwards.
On a wider note, and something rugby pundits fail to mention, is that rugby worldwide is undergoing a cash crunch. That's because sponsors are leaving. Rugby does not bring the audience that sponsors require. This year, they've suspended the Rugby Championship and instead, the All Blacks will do an old-fashioned tour of South Africa to rekindle interest and no doubt bring in some revenue. I think this cash crunch must have something to do with this coaching change.
What sports are prospering right now? Rugby League is very popular, and in NZ the numbers entering the game at the junior level are so strong, they are struggling to find coaches for them all. Motorsport is also back, and athletics is once again very popular.
And one last note: in 2023, the Rugby World Cup blew it by rigging the final. That was the last time a truly global audience tuned in to see a rugby game, and many were sitting down in front of the TV to watch for the first time. Many of these viewers know sports well, just not rugby. What they saw was a travesty, clearly rigged, and they started switching channels halfway through - that early. Since then, the audience numbers have plummeted. People have got better things to do than watch nonsense WWE-type stuff.
Update: I made this comment on YouTube, and quite like the way I worded it, so adding it here as well:
What went wrong? Scott Robertson coaches the game in a two dimensional way, while the game is at the three dimensional level these days. Steve Hansen understood this and managed his team superbly, and he had an answer to everything the opposition was going to come up with. Ian Foster, his understudy, carried this legacy on and did well, making the 2023 RWC final which was rigged (convince me I'm wrong) and so not his fault that it was lost. Robertson was a regression to predictable operations which most opponents could counter. Hence, the loss to Argentina in Argentina, and the capitulation to South Africa in Wellington. On a wider note, I'm pretty sure David Kirk (Chairman) is looking at the bottom line and realising sponsors are not interested in an All Blacks side that does not win ALL the time. It's about eyes on the screen for sponsors and these days there is a lot of competition, with rugby well down most people's priority list (NZ audience numbers are not significant). We have soccer resurgent, League is back big time with matches sold out, the NFL coming back after its woke-fest etc. When you look at this big picture, people are not tuning in to see a group of grown men do a dance and then look indecisive and, well, a bit soft. Sorry Kiwi fans, time to grow up and put your big knickers on, you're not going to be given a free pass because you look cute.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/584112/disposable-razor-scott-robertson-dumped-as-all-blacks-coach
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