All Blacks boss Scott Robertson has weighed in on the appointment of Joe Schmidt as the Wallabies’ head coach, saying he believes Rugby Australia have found the right candidate for the job.
It was announced last week that New Zealander Schmidt, who is a former Ireland head coach and All Blacks assistant coach, signed a two-year contract starting in March, committing to the Wallabies until the end of the British and Irish Lions tour in 2025.
He replaces Eddie Jones, who resigned from the position after a short but disastrous stint in charge of the Wallabies in which they won just two out of nine matches.
‘ tenure as Wallabies coach included their historic exit from the World Cup’s pool phase and after his resignation – shortly after the World Cup – he returned to Japan where he was appointed as the Brave Blossoms’ head coach.
Although ‘s appointment has been criticised by some people in Australian rugby, thinks he can turn the ‘ fortunes around.
“He’s got a great CV – he’s a good pair of hands and is experienced, so it’s good timing for Australia and him,” Robertson told Stan Sport during the Australian Open on Tuesday.
“There’s no outs. You’ll know where you need to be on the field and know what the expectations are of you.
“He’s a great rugby mind. He’ll be clear.”
Australia last won the Bledisloe Cup in 2001 with dominating the trans-Tasman fixture for the next 22 years. However, there have been occasions where the Wallabies have pushed the All Blacks close and two of their past four losses to the men in black were by fewer than three points.
“It’s been a long time since you held it up, but there’s periods in games – a famous moment back here, our French friend … it can swing quite quickly,” said Robertson.
“It comes down to the passion on both sides; it’s really clear every time you see it played.
“The importance on the night, it’s really critical, doesn’t matter what form.
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Although several experienced All Blacks left New Zealand after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Robertson feels the departure of those players will present opportunities for others to take the step up to the next level, agreeing rebuilding processes aren’t part of the All Blacks vernacular.
“Winning becomes before development,” he added.
“We’ve got some depth coming through. The end of a [World Cup] cycle… somebody always steps up
“We’ve always got a new pivot or a new player that will come through and we’ve got a coaching group to set them up to succeed at the highest level.
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