Former Wallabies winger Drew Mitchell has looked back on the All Blacks’ first season under coach Scott Robertson and insisted the New Zealanders were not “anyway a panic station” despite suffering four defeats during the campaign.
With coach Robertson on the hot seat following the departure of Ian Foster, the All Blacks’ new era began with two Tests against England in July. New Zealand won both matches, but only just that, and backed it up with a big win over Fiji.
But the All Blacks’ quest for Rugby Championship glory got off to a disappointing start as they lost to Los Pumas 38-30 in Wellington. The All Blacks also lost two games to the world champions Springboks in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The New Zealanders were able to finish the year with wins over Australia, Japan, England, Ireland and Italy, before losing to Antoin Dupont’s France, the only mistake in a memorable and positive end-of-year tour against the heavyweights of the north. .
With four defeats all season and no Rugby Championship title to their credit, the All Blacks are not the best team in the world at the moment. But it’s not all doom and gloom, with the likes of Will Jordan and All Blacks Player of the Year Wallace Sititi standing out.
The All Blacks appear to be improving under coach Robertson.
“I don’t know if they’re happy,” Mitchell said. Kickoff and kickon. “I don’t think it was a panic station by any means. But the only reason I say they won’t be happy is because of the standards they have held to for so long.
“Obviously Scott Robertson is joining. There have been some changes on the guard side of leadership. There were a lot of different outliers that Scott Robertson had to deal with.
“I think they are doing well and have developed some good players. Wallace Citi and Will Jordan are coming back. It’s not that he was exhumed, it’s that he came back. He will be a key figure.
“Look, they will always be good…” It’s just about finding the harmony of which players work with which players.
“If there’s anyone who can get the best out of a player, it’s probably Scott Robertson at the All Blacks. I think they’re going to be really competitive. I also think they are on an upward trajectory.”
to Kick-off and kick-on’ ‘Christmas Bonanza’ Mitchell also touched on how other Southern Hemisphere teams have fared in 2024. The former Wallabies trio, along with Matt Giteau and Adam Ashley-Cooper, have made their voices heard in Australia, Argentina and South Africa.
The Wallabies had a courageous win over England and a big win over Wales during their spring tour, which caused some serious rugby buzz and buzz in Australia. They failed to win a Grand Slam, but the stage is set for an exciting British and Irish Lions series next year.
Ashley-Cooper labeled Argentina the “Win Pumas” (commonly nicknamed Los Pumas) and praised them for their solid performance, which included wins over three Rugby Championship rivals in a single campaign for the first time.
But not in this world. 1 The Springboks, described by Mitchell as “the best in world rugby”. Before the first Test against the All Blacks in Johannesburg, Jesse Kriel insisted the Boks were better since winning last year’s Rugby World Cup.
With a Rugby Championship title, a drought-breaking Freedom Cup win and other positive talking points from coach Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks have backed up their status as two-time defending world champions with a string of statement results.
“The depth that Rassie Erasmus has created is amazing. “I think he used 51 players this year and not because he had to because they were in a position or privileged position strong enough to make major changes against a team that was still a first-tier country,” Mitchell added. .
“By doing that, (he) gets young players into that stadium and prepares them and creates replacements if some of them don’t make it to the ’27 World Cup.
“I think he’s always been innovative, Rassie. He has a real superstar in him, a player who can play many different types of football. They can play 10-a-side rugby if necessary (if the opposition or situation demands it), but can also play extensively.
“Last year the Springboks were probably criticized for not being able to play that type of football. But Cheslin Kolbe, (Kurt-Lee) Arendse, (Aphelele) Fassie’s full-back, (Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu)… They have the ability to really open up teams and play a transition type of football.”
