WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — After almost 17 months of waiting, New Zealanders will finally get to see what All Blacks rugby looks like under new coach Scott Robertson when New Zealand take on England in the first of two Tests in Dunedin on Saturday.
Robertson was appointed in March last year to succeed Ian Foster as coach, but had to wait until the 2023 World Cup finals in October – in which New Zealand lost by one point to South Africa – to take charge his position.
During his long reign, Robertson has had time to think deeply about how he will go about things and on Thursday he unveiled his first All Blacks squad to give an early update on his intentions. He has settled into a form selection, showing little faith in the Christchurch-based Crusaders, whom he has led to seven Super Rugby titles.
In that period in which the Crusaders have dominated domestic rugby, fans have had the opportunity to assess how Robertson works as a manager, how teams play under control, what his style might be.
His relaxed demeanor belies a keen rugby brain and a competitive nature. He may not be a great technical coach, but he has the ability to assemble and use assistants with technical skills. His talent is to enable players to develop their own talents and teams to work extremely well in concert.
“You have to enjoy it. That’s one thing I’ve been able to do throughout my career,” Robertson said. “You have to be able to enjoy the energy that is created with the people and with Kiwis supporting it.”
This weekend the venue is in the South Island of New Zealand.
“It’s Dunedin, the bottom of the South (Island), the bottom of the world really in testing terms,” he said. “You have to enjoy it.”
There is great anticipation and anxiety among All Blacks fans for Saturday’s game, an uncertainty about what a new era might hold. But one thing is for sure, Robertson knows how to win. His teams are flexible, adaptable and able to find a way through the most difficult conditions.
Optimistic England
England are becoming a very strong and skilful team under manager Steve Borthwick, who is also in the early stages of his career in charge of an international team. Borthwick has also learned the ability to bring in the best players and England have been on a steady upward curve under his guidance.
England were unashamedly confident of their prospects on Saturday, while the New Zealanders were tentative. Captain Jamie George says England are poised to beat the All Blacks in New Zealand for the first time in 21 years, based on their most recent results against the All Blacks – a win and a draw – and the example of British and Irish Lions in 2017 that drew their three-test series in New Zealand.
“The message then was that by the end of this series they will know who we are. That’s certainly the message again from me and this England team,” George said. “Walk up to it, hug it, love it. What an amazing opportunity we have here. It was 2003 when England last won here.
“We were at a charity dinner before we left and they were asking Steve Borthwick to be on this tour. I said to the boys: “We have a chance to do something really special so that in 20 years they will be asking us about winning.”
England drew with New Zealand when the teams last met at Twickenham in 2022 and beat the All Blacks in the 2019 World Cup semi-finals, games from which George draws inspiration. Most recently, England beat Japan 52-13 in Tokyo.
“We’re as well prepared as we’ve ever been in terms of trying to get players who haven’t played against New Zealand to know what it’s all about,” George said. “Looking back at 2019, this is one of the best games I’ve ever been a part of.
“Sometimes, with special occasions like this, it allows you to go to a place you never thought you could go. We will need to go to some dark places to get a win in Dunedin.
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