New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson has been sacked following a damning internal report into the team’s 2025 season and reports of threats from senior players to quit if he was not sacked.
Robertson’s tenure as head coach, which began at the end of 2023, was controversial even before it officially began, and he presided over the team’s worst performance in the professional era, including a 43-10 home defeat to South Africa last September, the heaviest game in the All Blacks’ 120-year history.
Robertson said in a statement that his dismissal was an “early” termination of his contract.
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New Zealand suffered a record defeat at the hands of world champions South Africa
“After the year-end review, I took some time to consider some of the feedback,” he explained.
“My priority has always been the success of the All Blacks and, following discussions with New Zealand Rugby, I believe it is in the team’s best interests for me to step aside.
“So I have reached an agreement with the New Zealand Rugby Union to terminate my contract early to allow the new coaching group the time they need to prepare and take the team to the next World Cup. I am extremely proud of what this team has achieved and the progress we have made.”
Before taking over as New Zealand coach, Robertson led the Crusaders to seven consecutive Super Rugby titles.
David Kirk, World Cup-winning All Blacks captain and New Zealand Rugby Union chairman, announced Robertson’s “resignation” in a statement on Thursday.
“The midway point of the Rugby World Cup cycle is the perfect time to reflect on the All Blacks’ progress over the first two seasons,” Kirk said.
“The team has a significant schedule scheduled for 2026 and the 2027 (Rugby World Cup) tournament remains a key objective.”
What went wrong with Robertson taking over as New Zealand representative?
Robertson won 20 of his 27 games as manager, a win rate well below his predecessors Steve Hansen (87%) and Graham Henry (85%), but above Ian Foster (70%).
Last year’s All Blacks captain Ardie Savea’s position is in jeopardy after it was reported that he would not play for New Zealand while Robertson remained in charge.
Robertson was appointed head coach in March 2023, but current head coach Foster was already signed to lead New Zealand to the World Cup later that year. This created an unprecedented situation in which the incumbent manager had to operate with his successor already in place.
Robertson lost seven games in two years with New Zealand.
The decision to allow overlapping managerial tenures became a farce when Foster unexpectedly led New Zealand to the World Cup final, where they lost by one point to South Africa.
At the same time, it was clear that Robertson had only been appointed because he had threatened to leave New Zealand and coach overseas if he was not promised the role of head coach of the All Blacks. Outgoing chief executive Mark Robinson has been heavily criticized for bowing to that threat and undermining Foster in a World Cup year.
Robertson was always thought to be a likely candidate to become head coach of the All Blacks after leading the Crusaders to seven consecutive Super Rugby titles.
Previously, Henry Hansen and Steve Hansen, who led the All Blacks to World Cup victory, and Foster, who was Hansen’s assistant, had international coaching experience before taking over. Robertson did not, but his inexperience was exposed throughout his tenure.
England defeated the All Blacks in last year’s Autumn International.
In 2024, his first year in charge, the All Blacks lost to Argentina for the first time in New Zealand, and also lost to South Africa and France.
Last summer, the All Blacks lost for the first time to Argentina, with the 43-10 loss to South Africa in Wellington being their biggest ever defeat. They also lost to England at Twickenham in November.
