Sub-head from one New Zealand newspaper after the naming of the All Blacks tour party to Europe in 2024: “Scott Robertson isn’t ready to back the next generation despite NZ Rugby taking a long-term view on results”.
Headline from the same paper this week, after this year’s squad was announced: “All Blacks name settled squad because next generation is not yet ready”.
I’d wondered why I felt somewhat depressed on Monday after that squad naming: the ongoing reluctance to try good, young players in place of a few who may have had their best days.
A year on, it’s possible to wonder if Robertson is in danger of losing his audience, giving NZR a problem with fan frustration; people turning away from the game.
The conservative selection of TJ Perenara and Sam Cane on last year’s tour is repeated with the 2025 presence of Rieko Ioane, Sevu Reece, Anton Lienert-Brown, Finlay Christie and maybe Josh Lord.
That’s not to say all should have been jettisoned – just that one new All Black in the touring party (because of injury) seems hesitant, even fearful; a lost opportunity.
Robertson doesn’t seem to realise he comes across as risk-averse, struggling to innovate and out-think the opposition. If the 1924 All Blacks were “The Invincibles”, the 1996 All Blacks “The Incomparables” (first to win a series in South Africa), Robertson’s All Blacks are so far “The Inconclusives”, their development partly stunted by conservatism.
Yes, he’s tried 19 new players in the last two years – but how many have gone on to become first-teamers? Four, arguably five. Yes, the All Blacks XV is touring same time, same place, and players can be co-opted but there is no substitute for test match rugby to see if a player can foot it at that level.
That said, this northern tour was always likely to be more about building combination and execution, efficiency and style, than selections and depth.
However, Robertson and co have missed a chance to build depth in positions where the All Blacks have bald patches: wing and the midfield.
Especially considering the Wales test. Surely the All Blacks – who have traditionally done well with emerging talent – are sure enough of their ability to mix in some new blood who may pay dividends as Fabian Holland and Leroy Carter have.
No one is advocating All Black coach John Mitchell’s 2002 ploy when he left 21 senior players at home (including the whole of the test pack), an ill-fated effort to rest his main men before the 2003 World Cup.
Nor is anyone looking for a repeat of Sir Graham Henry’s gambit in 2005 when he fielded two completely different teams in successive tests against Wales and Ireland, winning both. A potentially grievous insult thus became entirely justified.
Those days are long gone. The rest of the world have caught up, forcing Robertson to build depth – which is why prop Tevita Mafileo as the only new All Black seems a terrific opportunity squandered.
Most judges outside the current selection panel feel that Ioane, Reece and, to a certain extent, Lienert-Brown – fine players all – have their best behind them and that a 36-man squad meant ample occasion to try someone new or plug obvious gaps. Like wing.
Instead Ioane and Reece, two who struggled this year and last, remain. They could have plumped for Caleb Tangitau (Highlanders), his teammate Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, or even Macca Springer (Crusaders). All are good under the high ball, with real pace and try-scoring potential. Tangitau at least made the All Blacks XV, with Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens at fullback.
Kyren Taumoefolau is not yet eligible for the All Blacks and has abundant talent but, on the evidence of Tasman’s NPC quarterfinal, sometimes tries to do too much on his own when support is available.
Surely there is also a need to try something different in the midfield, a nod to the future. The Crusaders’ Chay Fihaki played midfield in his youth, can play right across the backline and is a fine long-range goalkicker.
He has obvious distribution skills; centre may prove his best position but we may never know.
At lock, the 2m-plus Lord (still only 24) was fortunate to hold out Darry, another 2m man, before Patrick Tuipulotu was ruled out and Darry came into the All Blacks squad.
Lord has been cruelly sidelined by injuries, starting for the All Blacks only once in 7 tests since 2021. He has lineout credentials but has yet to totally convince around the field.
The 25-year-old Darry has started three times in 6 tests and did well in two, perhaps offering a little more in the hard-nosed department.
While we are talking locks, Samipeni Finau as the fifth lock and seventh member of the loose forwards? Why not take six loosies and a specialist fifth lock, a young bloke like Canterbury’s Jamie Hannah or the Blues’ Josh Beehre?
The Wales test is beautifully positioned at the end of the tour as an ideal venue for the minimal new players who could have been selected to display their talents.
Robertson and co might yet return with a grand slam but missed opportunity is one of those things you can never retrieve – like youth, harsh words or, as the old saying put it, our loudest footsteps are made in the passage we never took, leading to the door we never opened.
Paul Lewis writes about rugby, cricket, league, football, yachting, golf, the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.