"Lengthy and robust" was how New Zealand Rugby described the interview process which led to Ian Foster getting the nod ahead of Scott Robertson as the next All Blacks head coach.
We may never know what exactly was asked as the pair made their respective cases following Steve Hansen's retirement,but one thing is probably a given; Robertson, the man famously known as Razor, is likely to have embraced the challenge with his normal enthusiasm, a characteristic which sees all of his Crusaders players looking forward to going to work each day and one which has helped the franchise to three titles in three years under his reign.
In 2016, Robertson's enthusiasm in his interview blew the other prospective Crusaders head coach candidates out of the water but the wave has crashed on to New Zealand Rugby's stolid pragmatism and its wish to retain the experience and nous of Foster, Hansen's assistant since 2012.
New All Blacks head coach Ian Foster. Photo / Photosport
Robertson couldn't have gone any better in terms of results at the Crusaders over the past three years but the one thing he didn't have is international experience and it's for that reason he will probably depart the Crusaders' headquarters in Christchurch once his contract expires at the end of 2021.
There may be those who believe Robertson should stick around and be ready to step in to take the All Blacks through to the 2023 World Cup in France should the next two years not go to plan for Foster, but the chances of that happening are almost zero.
Robertson, the first head coach to win three Super Rugby titles in a row, will now be putting all his energy into winning four in a row; if he does the overseas suitors will be forming a queue for his services which will stretch all the way from Rugby Park to Hagley Park.
Even if the next two years don't quite go to plan for him and the Crusaders, he will remain in high demand because of his ability to command the respect and loyalty of his players and support staff and that of the wider franchise or club.
He does it with humour and quirkiness but also an unrelenting work ethic. He's known to prepare each coaching lesson or presentation to the smallest detail while never losing sight of the bigger picture. He is a deeper thinker than many give him credit for, but he's also a bloke who doesn't take himself too seriously.
Scott Robertson is well-known for his breakdancing. Photo / Photosport
"This is me," he said three years ago of his breakdancing celebrations. "This is the way I have played and coached, as well. The guys have seemed to embrace it - it is just the way it is. They will know if I am pretending. I will just continue to be myself."
One of Robertson's most important mentors is Wayne Smith, the man who helped turn the Crusaders around in the 90s before fashioning a pretty good record with the All Blacks himself.
One of Smith's messages as Robertson prepared himself for what will be a massive disappointment would have been not to take the Crusaders' job for granted.
Robertson's position, in terms of New Zealand rugby, is still a privileged one. But new horizons will already be beckoning and the New Zealand game will be vastly poorer once he goes.
