All Blacks 2026
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
if surf Jesus does fall off his board and takes his incompetent assistants with him, I'd like to see an honest review into why the Crusaders were successful with the same staff.
I've long suspected many players etc have come through NZ rugby's preeminent high performance unit and by virtue of that association have been made to look better than they were and subsequently elevated to positions well above their level.of competency.
And the sneaking position behind all of this is it was largely the great All Blacks who created that environment.
Problem with that is many underperforming ABs have not come through that high performance unit.
just as many that have,have not, there is more Chiefs in that squad than any other SR Team.The Chiefs haven't been winning SR ad nauseum. Nor their coaching staff all elevated to the national team.
No they haven’t but they have the most players I see a problem there as well.
And a lot under perform so not just a problem from one high performance unit
To me a problem with selection and coaching.Sure, not that it has much relevance to my point; I want to know what it is about the Crusaders that makes them successful.
Recruitment
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
if surf Jesus does fall off his board and takes his incompetent assistants with him, I'd like to see an honest review into why the Crusaders were successful with the same staff.
I've long suspected many players etc have come through NZ rugby's preeminent high performance unit and by virtue of that association have been made to look better than they were and subsequently elevated to positions well above their level.of competency.
And the sneaking position behind all of this is it was largely the great All Blacks who created that environment.
Problem with that is many underperforming ABs have not come through that high performance unit.
just as many that have,have not, there is more Chiefs in that squad than any other SR Team.The Chiefs haven't been winning SR ad nauseum. Nor their coaching staff all elevated to the national team.
No they haven’t but they have the most players I see a problem there as well.
And a lot under perform so not just a problem from one high performance unit
To me a problem with selection and coaching.Sure, not that it has much relevance to my point; I want to know what it is about the Crusaders that makes them successful.
If you talk to the players it is the enviroment the care taken in the jersey,to leave it a good place when you leave, Honour the fans and the legacy that went before you.
Doesn’t that sound like the mantra the ABs used to have when you hear greats from the past talk about it.
So how does that thinking get corrupted in the AB set up now,
Influences that do not think that way they think just about me.
They would be players who have not come through the Crusader system you would think.
As it is ingrained in the Crusaders players. -
@junior which would go to my point about it being a great player led environment that demands high standards of the journeymen in the squad.
An obvious mistake to make if that premise is correct is to assign the success to the coaches...
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
if surf Jesus does fall off his board and takes his incompetent assistants with him, I'd like to see an honest review into why the Crusaders were successful with the same staff.
I've long suspected many players etc have come through NZ rugby's preeminent high performance unit and by virtue of that association have been made to look better than they were and subsequently elevated to positions well above their level.of competency.
And the sneaking position behind all of this is it was largely the great All Blacks who created that environment.
Problem with that is many underperforming ABs have not come through that high performance unit.
just as many that have,have not, there is more Chiefs in that squad than any other SR Team.The Chiefs haven't been winning SR ad nauseum. Nor their coaching staff all elevated to the national team.
No they haven’t but they have the most players I see a problem there as well.
And a lot under perform so not just a problem from one high performance unit
To me a problem with selection and coaching.Sure, not that it has much relevance to my point; I want to know what it is about the Crusaders that makes them successful.
I don't think it was ever Razor. Sam Whitelock was the cornerstone to the success of that Razor era in my opinion. There was a specific year that showed this when Sam Whitelock went overseas and came back late in the season (I can't remember the reason) to save the Crusaders campaign before they went on to lift the title. He was the heartbeat of their forward pack and the Crusaders were always much more beatable when he wasn't there.
The other big thing that has helped the Crusaders win so many titles in my opinion (especially over the last 10 years) is the freezing temperatures down in Chch during playoff footy. They dominate in those conditions because they play a very structured and set piece orientated game and most other teams who play more expansively just can't compete. The pending roofed stadium down in Chch may actually be a good thing for all other teams because they won't be going down there with the same daunting propsect of playing the Crusaders in a dewy, icy shithole.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
if surf Jesus does fall off his board and takes his incompetent assistants with him, I'd like to see an honest review into why the Crusaders were successful with the same staff.
I've long suspected many players etc have come through NZ rugby's preeminent high performance unit and by virtue of that association have been made to look better than they were and subsequently elevated to positions well above their level.of competency.
And the sneaking position behind all of this is it was largely the great All Blacks who created that environment.
Problem with that is many underperforming ABs have not come through that high performance unit.
just as many that have,have not, there is more Chiefs in that squad than any other SR Team.The Chiefs haven't been winning SR ad nauseum. Nor their coaching staff all elevated to the national team.
No they haven’t but they have the most players I see a problem there as well.
And a lot under perform so not just a problem from one high performance unit
To me a problem with selection and coaching.Sure, not that it has much relevance to my point; I want to know what it is about the Crusaders that makes them successful.
I don't think it was ever Razor. Sam Whitelock was the cornerstone to the success of that Razor era in my opinion. There was a specific year that showed this when Sam Whitelock went overseas and came back late in the season (I can't remember the reason) to save the Crusaders campaign before they went on to lift the title. He was the heartbeat of their forward pack and the Crusaders were always much more beatable when he wasn't there.
The other big thing that has helped the Crusaders win so many titles in my opinion (especially over the last 10 years) is the freezing temperatures down in Chch during playoff footy. They dominate in those conditions because they play a very structured and set piece orientated game and most other teams who play more expansively just can't compete. The pending roofed stadium down in Chch may actually be a good thing for all other teams because they won't be going down there with the same daunting propsect of playing the Crusaders in a dewy, icy shithole.
I think you will find the Crusaders are smart enough to adjust their game plan and way to win under a roof.
It is also knowing how to apply and absorb finals pressure knowing how to win them,
I don’t think it will make a bit of difference if some other team wins it this year they will be because they are the better team come pressure finals time.On Whitelock he was hugh he along with Taylor and Mounga they steered that team on and off the field.
But 2 of them are not there and they still won last year and Razor wasn’t so not all Razor or all Sam. -
@xman said in All Blacks 2026:
If Robertson is sacked, the pressure on the next coach will be enormous to get better results. If the next coach loses the South Africa tour, loses the Bledisloe, loses the Eden Park streak, then what does NZR do? Don’t just assume Jamie Joseph will be the saviour of the All Blacks. Coaching Japan where you’re not expected to win, versus coaching the All Blacks where you’re expected to win every game is different level of pressure.
I suspect if he is gone it's not down to pure results. It will be the reported disintegratio of the team.
If he's gone.
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@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@xman said in All Blacks 2026:
If Robertson is sacked, the pressure on the next coach will be enormous to get better results. If the next coach loses the South Africa tour, loses the Bledisloe, loses the Eden Park streak, then what does NZR do? Don’t just assume Jamie Joseph will be the saviour of the All Blacks. Coaching Japan where you’re not expected to win, versus coaching the All Blacks where you’re expected to win every game is different level of pressure.
It will bring massive pressure in a very tough year ahead for a new coach.
Then again, if he's takes over a complete shit-show and we start to see signs of improvement, we'll all be happier.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2026:
fuck yeah, even if it's all bullshit it filled in a boring tuesday.
As there is bugger-all decent rugby on at the moment, I heartily concur.
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@Frank said in All Blacks 2026:
@xman said in All Blacks 2026:
Next Savea will demand a coach with a Samoan background
Funny you mention that.
SBW in an interview in 2019 thought the AB coach should be brown because of the PI players in the ABs.What is Tana up to?
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@booboo said in All Blacks 2026:
@Frank said in All Blacks 2026:
@xman said in All Blacks 2026:
Next Savea will demand a coach with a Samoan background
Funny you mention that.
SBW in an interview in 2019 thought the AB coach should be brown because of the PI players in the ABs.What is Tana up to?
How good would that be. The fallout from blues fans would win thread of the century.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@xman said in All Blacks 2026:
If Robertson is sacked, the pressure on the next coach will be enormous to get better results. If the next coach loses the South Africa tour, loses the Bledisloe, loses the Eden Park streak, then what does NZR do? Don’t just assume Jamie Joseph will be the saviour of the All Blacks. Coaching Japan where you’re not expected to win, versus coaching the All Blacks where you’re expected to win every game is different level of pressure.
It will bring massive pressure in a very tough year ahead for a new coach.
Then again, if he's takes over a complete shit-show and we start to see signs of improvement, we'll all be happier.
Yep we would me included, just hard on the poor bugger who takes over if there is none.
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A bad culture, players thinking they are bigger than the team… only one person for the job.
IT’S HAMMER TIME!
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:
A bad culture, players thinking they are bigger than the team… only one person for the job.
IT’S HAMMER TIME!
Ditching Roigard and Taylor would make for some tough times for fans.
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@george33 said in All Blacks 2026:
Leon McDonald's name has been mentioned along with Tony Brown
Please not Leon!
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If all 3 Barrett brothers, Taylor, Jordan, McKenzie backs Robertson but Savea wants him sacked, what does NZR do? Savea would be the odd man out of that senior group. I doubt if less experienced players are dissatisfied that would sway NZR to sack Robertson. Savea alone won’t do it. It will have to be few of the senior players to turn on Robertson. Taylor, Jordan, Scott Barrett are all Crusaders so you would think they remain loyal to him. I’m skeptical the other 2 Barretts would go against their brother. Rieko and ALB are the other senior players but their position in the team is vulnerable.
You control the senior players, your job is safe. That’s how Foster stayed when his job was on the line. I suspect that’s one of the reasons why Robertson chose Scott Barrett as captain and his brother Jordie as vice captain because he couldn’t trust Savea as he was loyal to Foster. If shit hits the fan like now, Savea wouldn’t have the same loyalty. It’s the same in every office environment or politics.
If Savea’s coup fails, then that would be the end of his All Blacks career. No way Robertson would tolerate him. I doubt even the other senior players will trust him. Once the trust is gone, it’s impossible to repair.
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@xman said in All Blacks 2026:
If all 3 Barrett brothers, Taylor, Jordan, McKenzie backs Robertson but Savea wants him sacked, what does NZR do? Savea would be the odd man out of that senior group. I doubt if less experienced players are dissatisfied that would sway NZR to sack Robertson. Savea alone won’t do it. It will have to be few of the senior players to turn on Robertson. Taylor, Jordan, Scott Barrett are all Crusaders so you would think they remain loyal to him. I’m skeptical the other 2 Barretts would go against their brother. Rieko and ALB are the other senior players but their position in the team is vulnerable.
You control the senior players, your job is safe. That’s how Foster stayed when his job was on the line. I suspect that’s one of the reasons why Robertson chose Scott Barrett as captain and his brother Jordie as vice captain because he couldn’t trust Savea as he was loyal to Foster. If shit hits the fan like now, Savea wouldn’t have the same loyalty. It’s the same in every office environment or politics.
If Savea’s coup fails, then that would be the end of his All Blacks career. No way Robertson would tolerate him. I doubt even the other senior players will trust him. Once the trust is gone, it’s impossible to repair.
Good post, a lot of truth in your post which defies some of the rumours
