Source: Radio New Zealand
Justin Marshall. © Photosport Ltd 2019 www.photosport.nz
Former All Black halfback Justin Marshall thinks that a number of All Blacks will have a point to prove during this year’s Super Rugby Pacific season. The Sky Sport commentator said that the dramatic axing of Scott Robertson should force a mindset change among the incumbent playing group, no matter who gets the head coaching role.
“Those players probably have a bit of complacency in their systems, because they’re used to getting picked. They’re used to going out and doing what they’ve been doing for the last six years, 10 years, whatever it might be,” said Marshall, who played alongside Robertson in both the Crusaders and All Blacks.
“That coach is going to be announced, so all those players that were working under (Robertson) have to reset.
Scott Robertson. SANKA VIDANAGAMA
“Because they now have to think about ‘do I fit into this with the thinking of a new coach? Is he going to see from me every week that I want to be an All Black?’ That could be a total mindset change, and they want to make sure they’re performing each week.”
Marshall said he knows full well the position the players are in now, as he experienced several All Black head coaching changes during his 81-test career.
“I came in when Laurie Mains moved on, then John Hart moved on after the World Cup, then Wayne Smith moved on prematurely. It does make you wonder about where you sit because all of a sudden you are not communicating with that coach regularly. Where they saw you in that environment is no longer relevant because that environment doesn’t exist anymore.”
11 October, 2003. Telstra Dome, Melbourne, Australia. Rugby World Cup. Pool D. Italy v New Zealand. Justin Marshall. The All Blacks won the match, 70 -7. Pic: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport Photosport
However, Marshall doesn’t see that as a negative, rather something that will make the All Blacks and Super Rugby Pacific stronger.
“It’s good to be put in that position of pressure, particularly when you’ve been around that environment for a long time and have that familiarity of where you sit,” he said.
“Because it means that you need make sure that you’re performing and maybe showing a little bit of something that we haven’t seen out of your game in a while. That might be what the coaches are looking for.”
Marshall also made the point that the Australian players in Super Rugby Pacific will have more or less the same mindset, with Joe Schmidt set to be replaced by Queensland Reds coach Les Kiss after the Wallabies’ July Nations Cup fixtures.
“I think that’ll add a real edge to this competition as well,” he said.
NZ Rugby hasn’t set a timeline for Robertson’s replacement to be named, although it’s believed that it will be at least a month – after the Super Rugby Pacific season has commenced. The frontrunner for the job is Jamie Joseph, who is currently coaching one of the teams that will play in the first game on 13 February. His Highlanders take on the defending champion Crusaders at Forsyth Barr Stadium, so it’s likely plenty of attention will be on that fixture both on and off the field.
Marshall said the task was pretty straightforward for whoever comes in as All Black head coach.
“There’s a World Cup in two years. But what we want to stop with All Black rugby are those fluctuations in performance, which we’ve seen over the last six years.”
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
