All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson during a media interview at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland on Tuesday 9 January 2024. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Analysis - Scott Robertson probably didn't think he'd be facing the media for the first time as All Blacks coach on a stinking hot January day in Auckland. But while he's literally the embodiment of change in the national team set-up, remnants of the old regime were still in place.
Robertson strode out to face the media in a polo from last year's World Cup. The shirt, with its divisive floral design, will always be associated with France and one of the most intriguing yet ultimately unsuccessful All Black campaigns. Ian Foster's name was even brought up - Robertson asked if he'd spoken to the embattled former coach, who stepped down after the side's 12-11 loss to the Springboks in October's final.
"There'll be a little bit of a handover," Robertson said. "It'd be good to sit down and talk to him about his experiences."
It would be pretty fascinating to be a fly on the wall for that conversation. Robertson's push for the All Blacks job was a constant theme of Foster's time in charge, so what would the former coach have to say about that face-to-face?
But Robertson was adamant that the past was the past in terms of his current playing group.
"Not a mention of it, no. New year, new start."
It's early days, but Robertson was keen to talk about what this new year and new era brings with it.
"The creative mindset is on and that'll come closer to the test match campaign, we'll have a theme for the year that'll connect everyone and get everyone excited, both the team and the nation."
Selecting players based overseas and All Black involvement in Super Rugby were brought up, and despite Robertson's efforts, they won't be the last time. In fact, the former has the potential to be the overarching narrative of his time in charge already. While he wouldn't directly admit it, his long-term plan that was presented to NZ Rugby seems to have involved some sort of eligibility change, something that he addressed by stressing that everyone needed to "keep an open mind".
While he's probably being mindful of putting his foot in his mouth, which he certainly has been guilty of in the past, it was pretty easy to read between the lines as to what the new All Blacks coach was thinking.
"I've not asked for 'can I please have someone come and play for us?', but keep an open mind where the game is at the moment. It's moving quite quickly - as we know, there is a lot of on- and off-field, players and decisions and contracting, and I want to be a step ahead of that. Decipher that."
While he followed that remark up with a typically hearty laugh, Robertson was clearly so concerned about his wording around the subject that he backtracked straight away from a question about picking Richie Mo'unga to talk about who is going to be All Black captain this year. It says a lot that from his and an NZ Rugby point of view, that's the slightly less inflammatory topic to address.
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson during a media interview at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland on Tuesday 9 January 2024. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
But that did, admittedly, come off as more funny than controversial - at least right now in January when the main concern for the All Blacks is avoiding getting sunburnt at fitness training. Robertson has a serious degree of good faith with the media (one journalist even showed up wearing a Crusaders jersey) and public considering his vast run of success in Super Rugby and appealing persona that signifies change. Simply calling a press conference in January is enough of a change - while it was hot waiting for him on the Pullman Hotel balcony, none of the large contingent there to hear him talk were complaining.
It wasn't all polished and he certainly didn't have all the answers, but it was literally the guy's first day in a job that ranks alongside the prime minister as the most scrutinised in the country. And maybe in New Zealand's eyes that sort of relatability is something that will make for an endearing change in the All Blacks - that is, as long as they win.
The All Blacks won't even assemble again until June - by then the rigours of Super Rugby would have both unearthed new talent and done their damage to the existing talent. While Robertson has undoubtedly got an idea in his head of who will play where, he will know full well that it's unlikely to be the exact same group of players that he'll select once England arrive to open the season.
