All Blacks 2026
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris flip side is the players could be gagging for something that actually works and isn't toxic. Those that aren't, are easily replaced.
That is possible too.
Strike while the iron is hot eh, the players will be hurting too and will have a point to prove, coaches would look forward to harnessing that energy.
Maybe but you still look as a coach at the schedule, the players you have,The culture,
And do you have the tools given to you to succeed, no restrictions on what you need to do,
On the reverse side of your comment are there bitter players,or players who want more control than they should, is the camp divided.
Are you setting yourself up for a major fail, could hurt you IP as a coach massively. -
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
On the reverse side of your comment are there bitter players,or players who want more control than they should, is the camp divided.
I'd suggest that's often the case, regardless of the situation. Coaches should be expecting it and have methodology to deal with it, or even better, cut out the poison.
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@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
or even better, cut out the poison.
This is the key for the next coach,great results will come after this is done I believe.
I hope the NZR empowers the coach to be able to do this.The next coach will need to be courageous, especially if the path upward includes culling some older leaders, or downgrading players' roles
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@canefan said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
or even better, cut out the poison.
This is the key for the next coach,great results will come after this is done I believe.
I hope the NZR empowers the coach to be able to do this.The next coach will need to be courageous, especially if the path upward includes culling some older leaders, or downgrading players' roles
Yep we need a tough bugger as coach to make the tough decisions.
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@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
or even better, cut out the poison.
This is the key for the next coach,great results will come after this is done I believe.
I hope the NZR empowers the coach to be able to do this.Depends where the poison lies - or laid. Key thing is everyone working to a single goal with clear leadership and roles. Read somewhere that Shag had to apologise for being late to a meeting.
No reason you can't have disagreements or arguments provided they are handled in a mature respectful way by all concerned. Seems that's been lacking if what we hear about Robertson dismissing players concerns is true
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@lak said in All Blacks 2026:
I think we need someone to take a hammer to the poisonous environment we find ourselves in, smash the tick tock if you will.
Have zero problems with boot colour, hair-style or social media presence. While we don't want dickheads, we don't want a team of robots, either.
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@Steven-Harris said in All Blacks 2026:
Everything from club level up is an issue .Brent Impey when he was chairman even though he’s quite a smart knife in the draw ,listening to him on the between 2 beers podcast only confirmed some of the arrogance coming out of NZ Rugby
He even threw a hail mary when the righting was on the wall for himself suggesting rugby and league clubs should combine
Not the worst idea but what but once again brings into question ,what were you doing in your 7 years as chairman .?Oh yeah, everytime one of those NZR honchos mouths something, you can sense the hubris.
Super competitive environment out there in international rugby land, no room for any smugness or complacency.
You guna end up on your arse with that type of attitude.Not the right thread . . . but I can see it, others might be aghast at the thought of league and union combining.
In Australia I've heard some (official types) comment that both codes should combine at the junior level; the code split coming at high/secondary school.
They have very serious competition from other football codes over there.
At senior level, a lot of rugby clubs are multi-sport now, so in theory, nothing to prevent them fielding teams in both codes.As for the pro-level . . . haha.
Western Force and Perth Bears could easily amalgamate; maybe the girls leading the way, they could almost go full time then.
NZ . . . the Crusaders may as well bite the bullet and make an investment, an NRL franchise is coming to their shiny new stadium.
And . . . I'm guna be the first one to say it . . . a Christchurch team is guna win an NRL premiership before an Auckland team does!!!! -
Hi All, first time post…
Lots of hand wringing but wouldn’t this be a perfect time to come in if you’re a solid, non-Messianic Rennie/JJ/Cotter type, especially if you can get someone like Schmidt in a director-type role? I don’t remember too many times there has been so much low hanging fruit for an all blacks coach. There are difficult problems to solve but there are also things like exit strategy and a coherent kick-chase/receipt... The team looks like it's screaming out to have the attacking structures stripped back to first principles, and a hell of a testing ground to start layering some innovation on top (does it count as innovative to pick players and game plan that match?).Huge mandate, and appetite you would imagine, for cultural change.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
or even better, cut out the poison.
This is the key for the next coach,great results will come after this is done I believe.
I hope the NZR empowers the coach to be able to do this.Depends where the poison lies - or laid. Key thing is everyone working to a single goal with clear leadership and roles. Read somewhere that Shag had to apologise for being late to a meeting.
No reason you can't have disagreements or arguments provided they are handled in a mature respectful way by all concerned. Seems that's been lacking if what we hear about Robertson dismissing players concerns is true
Of course a big part of coaching is man management,
But sometimes some players just will not do the best for the greater good those are toxic. And need to be culled or the rot continues .
It really depends if the playing group is divided which is possible.
Does The ABs look a little like the demise of Manchester Untied dominant then a power gap when the dominant coaches and players leave/retire. -
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
or even better, cut out the poison.
This is the key for the next coach,great results will come after this is done I believe.
I hope the NZR empowers the coach to be able to do this.Depends where the poison lies - or laid. Key thing is everyone working to a single goal with clear leadership and roles. Read somewhere that Shag had to apologise for being late to a meeting.
No reason you can't have disagreements or arguments provided they are handled in a mature respectful way by all concerned. Seems that's been lacking if what we hear about Robertson dismissing players concerns is true
Of course a big part of coaching is man management,
But sometimes some players just will not do the best for the greater good those are toxic. And need to be culled or the rot continues .
It really depends if the playing group is divided which is possible.
Does The ABs look a little like the demise of Manchester Untied dominant then a power gap when the dominant coaches and players leave/retire.I've always worked on the basis people want to do a good job. It's pretty easy to spot and cull those who don't. I doubt any of the current squad fit into that category, so it's up to the new coaching set up to manage that.
It's also the mix of people/chemistry that's important. Seen uber-successful management teams which, by the textbooks should have been disastrous. A lot of it is luck, but good selection process can increase the odds.
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@allblackfan2 said in All Blacks 2026:
What you can see across all of them
Even though their styles differ, the most successful coaches over 50 share four habits:They build strong inner circles They create systems that reduce chaos They reframe pressure as opportunity or purpose They separate identity from results These are the psychological foundations of long‑term survival in elite rugby.My favorite coach in the world right now is . . . Curt ("just google me") Cignetti.
Built an elite college football program from nuthin in two years.
His team plays in a national championship game for the first time, ever, tomorrow.When he signed on he was then given a tour by his new boss.
He proceeded to abuse him for two or three hours.
Training facilities are shit, stadium is shit, this is shit, that is shit.
Just how are you expecting me to build an elite football program?Now being criticised for showing zero emotion during a game.
How can I expect my players to stay 100% focused on their roles; if I'm not?
When we are winning [26 and 2, last two seasons] I do feel good inside!
Love it! -
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
or even better, cut out the poison.
This is the key for the next coach,great results will come after this is done I believe.
I hope the NZR empowers the coach to be able to do this.Depends where the poison lies - or laid. Key thing is everyone working to a single goal with clear leadership and roles. Read somewhere that Shag had to apologise for being late to a meeting.
No reason you can't have disagreements or arguments provided they are handled in a mature respectful way by all concerned. Seems that's been lacking if what we hear about Robertson dismissing players concerns is true
Of course a big part of coaching is man management,
But sometimes some players just will not do the best for the greater good those are toxic. And need to be culled or the rot continues .
It really depends if the playing group is divided which is possible.
Does The ABs look a little like the demise of Manchester Untied dominant then a power gap when the dominant coaches and players leave/retire.I've always worked on the basis people want to do a good job. It's pretty easy to spot and cull those who don't. I doubt any of the current squad fit into that category, so it's up to the new coaching set up to manage that.
It's also the mix of people/chemistry that's important. Seen uber-successful management teams which, by the textbooks should have been disastrous. A lot of it is luck, but good selection process can increase the odds.
The problem with coaching is the players playing love you and the players you don’t pick dislike you.In high performance you always have disaffected people it goes hand in hand.
Selection is always the hardest thing to manage. -
@mohikamo said in All Blacks 2026:
@allblackfan2 said in All Blacks 2026:
What you can see across all of them
Even though their styles differ, the most successful coaches over 50 share four habits:They build strong inner circles They create systems that reduce chaos They reframe pressure as opportunity or purpose They separate identity from results These are the psychological foundations of long‑term survival in elite rugby.My favorite coach in the world right now is . . . Curt ("just google me") Cignetti.
Built an elite college football program from nuthin in two years.
His team plays in a national championship game for the first time, ever, tomorrow.When he signed on he was then given a tour by his new boss.
He proceeded to abuse him for two or three hours.
Training facilities are shit, stadium is shit, this is shit, that is shit.
Just how are you expecting me to build an elite football program?Now being criticised for showing zero emotion during a game.
How can I expect my players to stay 100% focused on their roles; if I'm not?
When we are winning [26 and 2, last two seasons] I do feel good inside!
Love it!Impressive. It seems that he took on a number of previously failing teams and repeatedly turned things around within quite short times. He certainly must have a knack for motivating and building winning teams.
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@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
or even better, cut out the poison.
This is the key for the next coach,great results will come after this is done I believe.
I hope the NZR empowers the coach to be able to do this.Depends where the poison lies - or laid. Key thing is everyone working to a single goal with clear leadership and roles. Read somewhere that Shag had to apologise for being late to a meeting.
No reason you can't have disagreements or arguments provided they are handled in a mature respectful way by all concerned. Seems that's been lacking if what we hear about Robertson dismissing players concerns is true
Of course a big part of coaching is man management,
But sometimes some players just will not do the best for the greater good those are toxic. And need to be culled or the rot continues .
It really depends if the playing group is divided which is possible.
Does The ABs look a little like the demise of Manchester Untied dominant then a power gap when the dominant coaches and players leave/retire.I've always worked on the basis people want to do a good job. It's pretty easy to spot and cull those who don't. I doubt any of the current squad fit into that category, so it's up to the new coaching set up to manage that.
It's also the mix of people/chemistry that's important. Seen uber-successful management teams which, by the textbooks should have been disastrous. A lot of it is luck, but good selection process can increase the odds.
The problem with coaching is the players playing love you and the players you don’t pick dislike you.In high performance you always have disaffected people it goes hand in hand.
Selection is always the hardest thing to manage.Other AB coaches seem to have managed this without too many problems. Not being selected doesn't mean disaffected if you have good communications with players - something Foster and Shag seemed to have in spades.
Will be key criteria for next coach methinks.
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@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
or even better, cut out the poison.
This is the key for the next coach,great results will come after this is done I believe.
I hope the NZR empowers the coach to be able to do this.Depends where the poison lies - or laid. Key thing is everyone working to a single goal with clear leadership and roles. Read somewhere that Shag had to apologise for being late to a meeting.
No reason you can't have disagreements or arguments provided they are handled in a mature respectful way by all concerned. Seems that's been lacking if what we hear about Robertson dismissing players concerns is true
Of course a big part of coaching is man management,
But sometimes some players just will not do the best for the greater good those are toxic. And need to be culled or the rot continues .
It really depends if the playing group is divided which is possible.
Does The ABs look a little like the demise of Manchester Untied dominant then a power gap when the dominant coaches and players leave/retire.I've always worked on the basis people want to do a good job. It's pretty easy to spot and cull those who don't. I doubt any of the current squad fit into that category, so it's up to the new coaching set up to manage that.
It's also the mix of people/chemistry that's important. Seen uber-successful management teams which, by the textbooks should have been disastrous. A lot of it is luck, but good selection process can increase the odds.
The problem with coaching is the players playing love you and the players you don’t pick dislike you.In high performance you always have disaffected people it goes hand in hand.
Selection is always the hardest thing to manage.There will be disappointment for players that miss out. But if there is a feeling that the coach is fair reasonable and respectful, I expect that it should be mutual even if there is disagreement
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2026:
I assume Pat Lam needs to coach at a higher level first as HC but is respected in over in Ireland...
I thought Pat Lam was shit when he was at the Blues.
Honestly, it is a while ago, and I cant remember exactly why, but I do remember thinking he was a dick.
Possibly . . . a little too much favoritism to certain underperforming players, which is a current issue as well.
Maybe he's good in the HP director role, we need one of those. -
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris flip side is the players could be gagging for something that actually works and isn't toxic. Those that aren't, are easily replaced.
That is possible too.
Strike while the iron is hot eh, the players will be hurting too and will have a point to prove, coaches would look forward to harnessing that energy.
And you'd hope that the candidates would be looking at this as perhaps their one and only realistic opportunity to land the job - it just might not be open in 2 years and 4-6 years might be too far away. To the extent that the shitshowy-ness is a consideration, I think it would be less likely to be viewed in terms of coaching rep and legacy and more in terms of having confidence that they will be able to implement the things that they want.
I also don't think we want a coach who is too scared to throw his hat into the ring for fear of damaging his reputation - that is exactly the self-centeredness and fearfulness we are trying to move away from. So, if anyone is ruling themselves out for these reasons, that just shows they were never the right for the job under any circumstances.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
or even better, cut out the poison.
This is the key for the next coach,great results will come after this is done I believe.
I hope the NZR empowers the coach to be able to do this.Depends where the poison lies - or laid. Key thing is everyone working to a single goal with clear leadership and roles. Read somewhere that Shag had to apologise for being late to a meeting.
No reason you can't have disagreements or arguments provided they are handled in a mature respectful way by all concerned. Seems that's been lacking if what we hear about Robertson dismissing players concerns is true
Of course a big part of coaching is man management,
But sometimes some players just will not do the best for the greater good those are toxic. And need to be culled or the rot continues .
It really depends if the playing group is divided which is possible.
Does The ABs look a little like the demise of Manchester Untied dominant then a power gap when the dominant coaches and players leave/retire.I've always worked on the basis people want to do a good job. It's pretty easy to spot and cull those who don't. I doubt any of the current squad fit into that category, so it's up to the new coaching set up to manage that.
It's also the mix of people/chemistry that's important. Seen uber-successful management teams which, by the textbooks should have been disastrous. A lot of it is luck, but good selection process can increase the odds.
The problem with coaching is the players playing love you and the players you don’t pick dislike you.In high performance you always have disaffected people it goes hand in hand.
Selection is always the hardest thing to manage.Other AB coaches seem to have managed this without too many problems. Not being selected doesn't mean disaffected if you have good communications with players - something Foster and Shag seemed to have in spades.
Will be key criteria for next coach methinks.
We are dealing with a new generation of players some have a big sense of entitlement something I see in my coaching jobs a lot more than I used to.
