Feverish interest in the process to appoint the next All Blacks coach overshadowed Dame Patsy Reddy’s unveiling as New Zealand Rugby’s first female chair, with chief executive Mark Robinson giving the strongest indication yet the national body will break tradition to make a decision before next year’s World Cup.
Reddydoes not assume the chair role from Stewart Mitchell until February, but while outlining her hopes for further growth in the women’s game, the former Governor General was thrust straight into the furnace that is determining the All Blacks coaching team beyond next year.
“We had a good discussion with the board yesterday. I know the executive team are really on top of the issue,” Reddy said.
“We’re comfortable with the process. We recognise this is a really important time for us with the Rugby World Cup ahead next year. We’re all very focused on supporting our team through that tournament but we’ve got to look to the future so, believe me, we’re on it.
“Nobody here wants me to be selecting the All Blacks coach just yet. I don’t underestimate the challenges of me coming into this role and I’m not going to try and jump ahead.”
New Zealand Rugby has, traditionally, waited until the World Cup juncture before opening up the All Blacks job but with Wales and England in the midst of head coaching changes, Robinson admitted the test rugby landscape is rapidly altering its perception of when appointments should be made.
“We are having a lot of discussions. We took the board through where we are at with that. We know there’s a lot going on in that market but we’re confident we’re having all the conversations we need to have,” Robinson said.
Following the last World Cup cycle, which finished with the All Blacks losing their semifinal to England in Yokohama in 2019, New Zealand Rugby appointed Ian Foster over Scott Robertson. Waiting until after the global tournament left two candidates contesting the role as Jamie Joseph and Dave Rennie, among others, committed elsewhere.
Foster, should he lead the team to a successful World Cup, Joe Schmidt, Joseph, Robertson and Rennie could all feasibly contest the All Blacks role next year but only if New Zealand Rugby acts swiftly.
While reluctant to confirm any form of timeline and cagy with his comments, Robinson intimated NZ Rugby is favouring a decision on the next All Blacks coaching team prior to the World Cup.
“We acknowledge that is part of the deliberation we’re going through; recognising the past and rationale for previous processes of appointments versus what’s happening in the international environment and lessons from the last appointment process.
“We acknowledge it’s an incredibly critical appointment for the organisation. We are putting a lot of effort and attention into it and taking it very seriously.”
Reading between the lines, New Zealand Rugby is endeavouring to speak with leading candidates in a bid to seek intentions and have the best pool of coaches contest the top job. That can only be achieved by making an appointment before September.
There’s a school of thought that should NZ Rugby opt for an alternative outside the All Blacks coaching group it could undermine their World Cup campaign. Yet allowing widespread speculation to run rife for the next nine months also threatens to be a major distraction – as was evident with Warren Gatland’s suggestion NZ Rugby should back Robertson for the job.
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson. Photo / Photosport
“He’s one of five million people who has an opinion on this isn’t he,” Robinson said. “We get lots of good advice in this area. As an executive team and board we had a good discussion.”
On the subject of significant coaching decisions, applications to replace Wayne Smith at the head of the Black Ferns have closed. Robinson indicated a panel would soon be formed, with the potential for a pre-Christmas appointment.
Reflecting on the Black Ferns triumph, Reddy expressed the importance of capitalising on that momentum.
“We saw a whole different approach this year through the Rugby World Cup with our Black Ferns allowing our fans to get to know the players a bit more; to engage and seeing it as something they can participate in more.”
Once Mitchell finishes his nine-year term on the board early next year NZ Rugby will operate one member down from February-April, when Reddy expects the Annual General Meeting to usher in a breakthrough by meeting Sport NZ’s diversity stipulations for all national sports organisations.
“We’ve got elections coming up at the AGM and it’s certainly my hope we meet those targets,” Reddy said. “I’ve been on a number of boards in my time and I’ve never been on one with this many women. We are getting there. We recognise 40 per cent is the target, and I’d be hopeful we’ll get there next year.”
Robinson confirmed NZ Rugby’s plans to host international women’s tournaments next year but also revealed a significant financial loss for the year which he largely attributed to the impacts of Covid’s tail.
“Over the next few years we will have to watch costs very closely and be very mindful of the sustainability of the game long term.”
