NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Rugby / All Blacks

Four things to ponder in Scott Robertson’s first All Blacks team naming – Phil Gifford

Phil Gifford
By Phil Gifford
Contributing Sports Writer·NZ Herald·
30 Jun, 2024 05:02 AM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

All Blacks coach Scott Robertson talks coaching philosophy, vision and takes your calls on Newstalk ZB

THREE KEY FACTS

  • Scott Robertson has named his first All Blacks squad since taking the coaching role
  • Blues loose forward Hoskins Sotutu was not included despite a standout Super Rugby Pacific season
  • Robertson named Scott Barrett as his captain

Over a lifetime of covering rugby, Phil Gifford has seen many of the greatest players to don the black jersey – and the biggest change in that time has been the arrival of professionalism in 1996.

OPINION

The rugby week was dominated by the naming of href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/scott-robertson/" target="_blank">Scott Robertson’s first All Blacks squad.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The omission of Blues No 8 Hoskins Sotutu, after a good season in Super Rugby Pacific, was a sign the question marks that led to his axing from the All Blacks at the end of 2022 remain in the current selectors’ minds.

There’s no off-field mystery. Sotutu was one of the quietest members of the All Blacks, and there were never any issues with behaviour.

He started just seven of his 14 tests in three seasons from 2020, facing the huge roadblock of Ardie Savea taking over the No 8 jersey.

Sotutu’s exclusion from the All Blacks frame in 2023 was based on how hard he found the struggle to make his running game, defensive work and his impact at the breakdown more physically potent.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

All Blacks coach Robertson has said picking the loose forwards in the 2024 squad was the most demanding and lengthy task for him and his selectors.

A lot of that time would surely have been spent considering a possible Sotutu comeback. At 25, Sotutu, his game expanding under Vern Cotter at the Blues, must decide now whether to keep pursuing more time as an All Blacks player. Missing out on the first squad of the year may not be the end of the road for him.

Discover more

Opinion

Phil Gifford's Super Rugby season-ending awards

23 Jun 06:00 AM
Sport

Phil Gifford: Four attributes Robertson shares with successful ABs coaches

23 Jun 10:15 PM
Opinion

Phil Gifford: The huge challenge for Chiefs in Super Rugby Pacific final

16 Jun 05:21 PM
Opinion

Phil Gifford: The vital areas ahead of Razor's first All Blacks test

13 Jun 11:00 PM

Newcomers show promise

“You can’t keep all the old guys, but you can’t get rid of all the old guys. You have to have that experience to win tests,” Sir Steve Hansen, 2015 World Cup-winning All Blacks coach.

In a country where questioning All Blacks selections is basically a national hobby, the fact Robertson and his selectors picked only five newcomers puzzled some who expected a more radical new broom.

But even the most golden influx of new caps, the intake in 2012 of nine rookies, including Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Sam Cane, Julian Savea and Dane Coles, saw just three, Savea, Smith, and Retallick, start the first test of that year, against Ireland.

Yes, there’s some huge promise in the shape of 2024 new boys, such as Wallace Sititi, Cortez Ratima, and Pasilio Tosi, but there would have been just as much satisfaction for the selectors in being able to name a revived Patrick Tuipulotu to give the middle row the hard experience 43 tests have drilled into the inspirational Blues’ captain.

No surprise in captain

All Blacks captaincy will always be a hugely demanding job. After the coach, the next head sought if the team is struggling is always the captain. Just ask Sam Cane.

Experience in leadership is always a plus, and so is a close relationship between coach and skipper.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The choice of Scott Barrett, who Robertson coached at the Crusaders for seven seasons was ultimately as inevitable as Winston Peters lecturing a media scrum at the Beehive.

But if a new captain is needed at some point it doesn’t have to mean anything like disaster.

When Laurie Mains took over coaching the All Blacks in 1992, one of our great All Blacks captains, Auckland’s Sean Fitzpatrick, was not Mains’ first choice as leader.

Mains made no secret of the fact he planned to appoint his Otago captain, Mike Brewer, as his All Blacks skipper. “There was no need for a lot of chit-chat between us,” Mains said, “because there’s no BS involved.”

But Brewer badly tore a calf muscle in the second half of the main All Blacks trial in April of 1992, and Fitzpatrick would lead the team for the next seven years.

The fact Mains admired Fitzpatrick as a fierce competitor was not only a help, but also slightly remarkable, considering Mains regarded most Auckland players with innate southern suspicion.

The first time Mains had his squad together he told them he understood cliques had formed in the 1991 World Cup team that led to the side’s failure to make the final.

Feel free to stick together in provincial groups, was his basic message, but don’t expect to stay in the All Blacks if you do. Nobody from Auckland could recall him looking at anyone from Canterbury or Wellington at the time.

Give them time

As the season wears on, if there are some tough times, and some harsh criticism for Robertson and his coaching team, let me offer some words of wisdom from Alex “Grizz” Wyllie, an assistant coach at the 1987 World Cup, and co-coach at the 1991 Cup.

“It’s okay for you guys in the media,” Wyllie once said to me. “Your teams don’t have to play.”


Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from All Blacks

All Blacks

Book extract: Ian Foster on keeping his job as All Blacks coach

13 Jun 06:01 PM
Premium
All Blacks

All Blacks add new coach to Scott Robertson’s team

13 Jun 01:00 AM
Premium
Analysis

Super Rugby: How the Blues can beat the Crusaders

12 Jun 06:01 PM

It was just a stopover – 18 months later, they call it home

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from All Blacks

Book extract: Ian Foster on keeping his job as All Blacks coach

Book extract: Ian Foster on keeping his job as All Blacks coach

13 Jun 06:01 PM

'There was not a lot of trust between us anymore. In fact ... there was zero trust.'

Premium
All Blacks add new coach to Scott Robertson’s team

All Blacks add new coach to Scott Robertson’s team

13 Jun 01:00 AM
Premium
Super Rugby: How the Blues can beat the Crusaders

Super Rugby: How the Blues can beat the Crusaders

12 Jun 06:01 PM
Premium
'Real driver for us': Blues inspired by Suafoa's brave battle

'Real driver for us': Blues inspired by Suafoa's brave battle

11 Jun 11:01 PM
The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE
sponsored

The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP