Super Rugby Pacific is almost upon us but, in a New Zealand context, one overarching story continues to overshadow the start of the oval ball season.
The All Blacks’ coaching saga hung in Auckland’s humid air as Super Rugby launched its 30th season on Wednesday.
Players from all 11 teams attended the launch, alongside New Zealand Rugby (NZR) interim chief executive Steve Lancaster, Rugby Australia counterpart Phil Waugh, New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association boss Rob Nichol and Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley.
From former players to pundits and administrators, the question on everyone’s lips is who is the next All Blacks coach?
Super Rugby Pacific will loom into full view when the Highlanders host the Crusaders in the opening match under the Dunedin roof on Friday, February 13.
The start of this season, though, will be eclipsed by the ongoing fallout from Scott Robertson’s exit as All Blacks head coach and conjecture about whether Dave Rennie or Jamie Joseph should replace him.
Rugby is certainly high on the sporting agenda but the next All Blacks coaching appointment and its wider spinoffs will continue to shroud Super Rugby’s push to capture hearts and minds.
Some of the five All Blacks at the launch declined to voice their views but Crusaders and test centurion Codie Taylor shared his thoughts, as NZR confirmed Taylor’s former All Blacks teammate Dane Coles has joined the coaching selection panel.
“On a personal level, I feel for Razor. He’s a great man,” Taylor said. “I’ve had a lot to do with him over the years. On that level it’s sad to see something like that happen.
“In a high-performance environment, those decisions can be made. Where we are at now is a bit of uncertainty but I know New Zealand Rugby is doing their best to collate everything together and make a decision pretty quick.
“I’ve heard good things about the potential candidates. Whoever gets it, I’m sure they’ll do their best.”
Veteran All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu, who is on ice for the Blues until round nine while he recovers from shoulder surgery that ruled him out of the Grand Slam tour, was candid in his response to Robertson’s unprecedented removal.
“Interesting times,” Tuipulotu said. “It just shows the nature of high performance sport. I was quite shocked at how cut-throat it is.
“In saying that, they’ve explained the process has been going on since he started and there’s been a review along the way.
“Interesting to see how things pan out now with coaches and the timeframe heading into the Super season before the international games.”
While last year’s end-of-season player review played a major role in NZR’s decision to part ways with Robertson, Tuipulotu suggested other factors were prevalent too.
“It’s quite hard seeing it blamed on the players. It was probably a collective of other things as well. Players do have a say but that’s all in a review process where it’s both ways, not just on what the players want.
“I like to think in New Zealand, we as players, we’re all good people and we can have those conversations with who we want when we need to face to face, rather than in the shadows and holding stuff back.
“I just hope something happens quickly.”
With less than two years until the 2027 World Cup in Australia, the next All Blacks coach faces a compressed window to embed their vision and bring the team together. Tuipulotu, though, believes winning the World Cup remains achievable.
“We’ve got the players and firepower to do it. It’s just a matter of finding someone who will help us get there.
“I suppose that’s all part of the requirements they’re looking for in a coach now. How fast can they get us on track? How fast can we all gel? We’ll have to make sure time isn’t an excuse. Anywhere else, it probably isn’t enough time but we’ve got to keep rolling with it.”
Chiefs loose forward Wallace Sititi, one of the youngest members of the All Blacks, was more circumspect in his assessment of the national coaching changes.
“There’s always a lot of attention with the All Blacks. I think that comes with the jersey and the jersey demands the best,” Sititi said.
“First and foremost, I want to send my thoughts and prayers to Razor and his family, wish them all the best because there’s always a human factor to that. As All Blacks, we’ve got to focus on our performances. No matter who’s the coach, you’ve always got to perform well. We’ve got to worry about what’s in front of us, which is the Super Rugby season starting very soon and something that we’re extremely excited about.”
Rugby hogging the spotlight is nothing new in this country but for Super Rugby to demand the attention it aspires to garner, the next All Blacks coach must first be appointed.
Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.