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Richie McCaw expects Scott Robertson will 'do things a little bit different'
By Ned Lester
Two Canterbury and New Zealand icons have endorsed another as Scott Robertson begins his All Blacks coaching journey, with Richie McCaw and Dan Carter excited to see what the coach can achieve at the international level.
While Robertson conceded he will have to acknowledge the challenge of levelling up his game to prove he is not just a great club coach, Carter says there is no doubt Razor is world-class.
McCaw was Robertson's understudy briefly at the All Blacks during his rapid rise to top dog, and so has also known Razor in both a playing and coaching context, helping him get a good read on what to expect from the next era of All Blacks rugby.
“Well I think he’ll do things a little bit different to what’s been done before,” McCaw told Rugby.com.au.
“Since 2004, you’ve had a pretty settled, especially management team with a slight change of coaches but I think he’ll do things a little bit differently. He’ll bring the things that have worked in the past but he’s prepared to try things.
“What he does have is a great knowledge of who’s around. He knows getting selections and staff right are important so it’s going to be exciting to see what he brings."
So far, Robertson has opted for tried and tested relationships in his coaching staff, selecting former Canterbury and Crusaders assistants in Leon MacDonald, Jason Ryan, Scott Hansen and Jason Holland.
As for the players he'll select, McCaw believes the nature of this year's World Cup final loss will inevitably leave a sour taste in some mouths but also makes for confidence in a competitive international field.
“You make the final and you come up one point short, it’s disappointing that you’re so close but yet came up short.
“You look at all the teams that went to the World Cup like the French and the Irish that had a real good chance of winning it and they went home early and the Wallabies show you tournaments chuck up anything.
“The results especially leading up into the tournament against South Africa and in the opening game, to give themselves a chance you’ve got to be happy but if we stopped being disappointed when we don’t win, you lower your standards.
“A few of the guys I’ve talked to have said how disappointed they are but that’s the nature of it and we have a new coach and outlook next year which will be interesting.”
Carter joined his former teammate in expressing excitement over the seven-time Super Rugby champion's appointment, agreeing the All Blacks will be "different" with Razor at the helm.
"He's an incredibly talented coach, a former teammate of mine," Carter told 1News. "I got coached by him for one year when I went back injured and played for Canterbury.
"I've been following his journey pretty closely and he's got a great team around him, which will be really important at that next level of coaching.
"I can assure him, he's much more than a club coach, he's a world-class, world-leading coach and I'm really excited to see what he brings because there will be some changes, it will be different. He thinks about the game in a different way, extremely passionate and he often gets the best out of the players he coaches which is extremely exciting."
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Latest Comments
Gotta love a coach who'll throw his players under the bus instead of taking the loss on his chin. No wonder his team lacks confidence with a bellend like him in charge.
Go to commentsI agree re-Barrett, he would be an excellent 6. Vaai he called him the squads Terminator! No use in shutting out other specialist 6s though like Frizell and Finau.
I don't think the Saders want Darry tbh, already have so much locking talent in Strange, Cahill, Hannah, and Barrett, with Gallagher returning after a spell at the Canes.
As for your ideas on SRP, I was thinking more expansion into the islands. Why just a Fijian team? Why not a Samoan and Tongan team as well? I think adding Japan could be cool, since they are in roughly the same timezone so not much jet lag. Only issue is that their seasons are reversed! Same with USA.
I think the best option is to keep to ourselves, with AUS, NZ, SAM, FIJ, and TNG. 5 teams for Australia (Brumbies, Reds, Tahs, Force, Rebels), 5 for NZ (Saders, Canes, Blues, Chiefs, Landers), and 4 for the PIs (Moana Pasifika, Drua, Tongan team, Samoan team).
If we expand into the PIs, we cut off a source of talent and entertainment from the Northern competitions like Top 14, and open a whole new market of people. Increase advertisment in Japan as well, since their in the same timezone, and we could be on track for a very good competition.
Plus, we would get gamedays like in America, one game queued up after another. Makes it a whole lot easier if you can just flick on the telly and BOOM theres the games. No need to plan out when things are, just get your mates around, flick it on in the background and chill with a cold beverage.
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