"One minute you are riding the perfect wave, the next you're being dumped from a great height and having your world tipped upside down. Which is essentially how Razor will now be feeling after being ousted as All Blacks head coach barely two years into his tenure. On the surface he was everything New Zealand rugby could have wished for. The serial domestic winner who had guided the Crusaders to seven successive Super rugby titles, the empathetic everyman with the break-dancing skills to match."
"Instead he has been swallowed up and spat out after only 27 Tests. An internal review into the All Blacks' problematic year uncorked a torrent of salty feedback that proved impossible to ignore. New Zealand Rugby's chair, David Kirk, sought to dampen reports that the All Blacks' best player, Ardie Savea, had threatened to jump ship if Robertson remained but the swiftness of the union's response, despite currently having no permanent chief executive in place, suggested player unrest was indeed a factor."
"It invites several questions, none of them comfortable. As Manchester United can testify, sacking the top man does not guarantee instant smooth sailing. Robertson's record was not disastrous he oversaw 20 victories, a 74% ratio that was statistically an improvement on his predecessor Ian Foster's 69.6% winning return but, as anyone who watched the All Blacks face England in November can attest, there was clearly something not quite right."
Scott Robertson was ousted as All Blacks head coach after 27 Tests, barely two years into his tenure. An internal review of a problematic year produced strong criticism and influenced the union's swift decision. Reports indicated player unrest, with Ardie Savea reportedly threatening to leave if Robertson remained. Robertson had a 74% winning record (20 victories), an improvement over Ian Foster's 69.6%, but on-field cohesion suffered, especially in the backline. England's 33-19 win exposed New Zealand's lack of rhythm and cohesion. The union moved quickly despite lacking a permanent chief executive, signaling urgency about the team's direction.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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