All Blacks evolution after Ian Foster: Scott Robertson’s blueprint for modernisation

OPINION

The real stuff is yet to come for All Blacks coach Scott Robertson, but he’s made an encouraging start in his new role by saying all the right things in a gentle PR run through these last couple of weeks.

Change is coming for the All Blacks. Several experienced players have left, new coaches and managers have come in and Robertson’s vision for the team – in terms of how they play, who they pick and how they present themselves to the wider world – will differ from that of his predecessor Ian Foster.

It’s also the case that Robertson was appointed on a mandate to modernise and innovate the All Blacks – to bring his wider and at times alternative lens to the job.

Robertson is not quite the mystic, unconventional figure that some try to portray him as, but he’s certainly capable of effective, unorthodox thinking and capable of inspiring players in ways that many coaches would never comprehend, and inevitably that is going to see the All Blacks become a different team to the one they have been.

But Robertson has not come into the role blasting his horn and thumping the steering wheel in a fit of impatience about how quickly and dramatically the All Blacks need to change course.

What’s been so refreshing about Robertson’s media encounters so far, is that he seemingly has no desire to stomp over the legacy of Foster.

He has tread carefully in his efforts to acknowledge what he’s inheriting while setting out only big-picture thoughts on how he intends to connect himself to the team and the team to their mission.

He’s also sought the thoughts of many key players to try to determine which aspects of the previous regime were working and should be considered non-negotiable in retaining while trying to identify areas in which the All Blacks can develop.

He intends to build something new and different as All Blacks coach but has resisted the temptation to go down the road of painting the former regime as a horror show, and from that, we can assume that Robertson carries a deep respect for the institution he represents and the history that it has built.

And we can probably assume that so too does he realise that next year at least, he is likely going to be working with much the same squad that Foster was?

Robertson will indeed unearth new players over time, but in 2024 it’s almost certain he’s going to be picking a side that will look similar to that which played in the World Cup final.

There has been a narrative post-World Cup that Robertson will have to rebuild an All Blacks team decimated by an exodus of key players, but there’s a touch of lazy thinking about this.

There are maybe one or two positions that will be challenging to fill next year, but Foster future-proofed the team to a far greater extent than he’s been given credit for.

Robertson is inheriting four young, yet moderately experienced props all of whom have the all-court game to be world-class and hit their peak by mid-way through this World Cup cycle.

In Scott Barrett, he has a lock who will dominate through to 2027. Both Ardie Savea and Sam Cane - supremely experienced and gifted loose forwards – will be available in 2024.

Ethan Blackadder and Dalton Papali’i are building as test players and there is a good chance Shannon Frizell will be persuaded to return to New Zealand after his Japanese stint.

He has access to a ready-made midfield combination in Jordie Barrett and Rieko Ioane and a proliferation of outside backs including Will Jordan, Mark Telea, Caleb Clarke and Emoni Narawa.

Cameron Roigard looks a real prospect at halfback and in Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett – who has confirmed he’s staying in New Zealand until 2027 once he returns from Japan in May this year – there are two players with experience at playing No. 10 in test rugby.

In truth, Robertson’s only real concern is building the locking resources to package around Barrett – and there are already a couple of decent prospects in Josh Lord and Tupou Vai’i.

While he has starting options at hooker, No 8, halfback and centre, he’ll need to build depth in those positions, but any coach in the world would be quietly delighted to be taking over a team with such a promising tight five.

Rugby is set-piece and collision warfare and the All Blacks have the players to thrive in that arena, as well as a range of creative types and outstanding finishers, Robertson knows he has a team that can hit the ground running next year without any real need to shake-up the personnel.

Gregor Paul is one of New Zealand’s most respected rugby writers and columnists. He has won multiple awards for journalism and has written several books about sport.