The All Blacks will probably head into 2025 with more questions than answers.
First-year All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has quickly discovered what it means to be an international coach and is now tasked with leading the most dominant rugby team in history back to the top.
Razor will be spending his time relaxing surfing and swimming at his beloved Mount Maunganui beach, and catching up on lost time with his family during the festival.
But there are certainly goals he wants for the All Blacks in 2025 – or, as he calls them, non-negotiable.
Springboks Doubles
The Razor’s first Christmas wish is to play two games against his old foe in September.
Saturday, September 6th, Eden Park.
In the biggest Test match outside of the World Cup, the All Blacks will be in action for a very long time. When the world champion Springboks head to Eden Park, the home of rugby in New Zealand, the Test will be a spine-chilling battle of history and passion, with a 30-year record.
The All Blacks need to win the Test match. It doesn’t have to be beautiful. There will be minimal offensive flow, plenty of pressure-filled errors, and plenty of breaks in play to calm the heart rate. But Robertson’s All Blacks will need to get over the line to prove they have what it takes to close out a crucial Test.
The Springboks have now beaten the All Blacks four times in a row. This is almost unprecedented territory for the Men in Black. Robertson will not be satisfied with one more home win against Rassie Erasmus’ side in 2025. He needs the Eden Park Test match for the record, but both are needed to regain control of rugby’s fiercest and most storied rivalry.
Rich Mountain Comeback
In 2024, Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett remain firmly in 10th place. However, there is no denying that Robertson has his 1-5 favorites for the All Blacks, currently playing for Toshiba Brave Lupus in Japan on a three-year contract.
Qualifying rules may not change this year, but Mo’unga, 30, will certainly be Robertson’s first option going forward in the final two years of the World Cup cycle ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Robertson’s continued push for NZR to change the eligibility rules may strengthen confidence in Mo’unga, or perhaps Barrett and McKenzie may lack confidence as long-term options for the 10 jersey.
France A team
A 3-0 sweep will be enough for the All Blacks when a Dupont-less and underpowered France B team heads to Aotearoa in July for a highly anticipated series.
But will that be enough for fans to take credit for the series win over France?
The strength of the French team will be crucial for Robertson and the team as they prepare for the South African Test at home. France will be tough no matter which side they bring to New Zealand. This makes Team B’s situation even more sticky.
It’s understandable to leave a star player for a Top 14 final, but it’s gutsy to see what might have been if the series hadn’t lived up to groundbreaking box office standards.
new number 7
It could be said that the All Blacks’ greatest depth position is loose forward. There is depth in numbers with multiple players who can play in a variety of positions.
Sam Cane’s retirement from international rugby leaves him with a free start in seventh place.
The idea of Ardie Savea moving to an openside flanker appears to be no longer on the table and World Breakthrough 15’s Player of the Year Wallace Sititi appears to have confirmed the number 6 jersey.
So does that jersey belong to Dalton Papali’i? He missed the end-of-year Northern Tour due to an upper hamstring injury and has never cemented a starting spot in the black jersey.
Peter Lakai’s future is bright. He was at his worst against France and put in an outstanding performance in his first major Test match in the black jersey. He’s the guy for the future, but with Sam Cane out of the mix and Luke Jacobson, Papali’i, Lakai, etc. all healthy and eager to go, it’s still unclear who the Razor’s preferred No. 7 would be.
Du’Plessis Kirifi has performed phenomenally in the Bunnings NPC competition and the Hurricanes division of Super Rugby Pacific is demanding higher accolades for his analytical work and leadership on the field.
Whoever the Razor select, they will face tremendous pressure knowing that a number of openside flankers will be holding their breath.
Backline cohesion
The All Blacks are not the attacking force they used to be and have often lacked cohesion with the ball in 2024.
Robertson will be desperately seeking consistency and fluency in attack. Especially after former All Blacks assistant coach Leon MacDonald left the attack coach role in 2024 after just four Test matches.
Razor’s right-hand man Scott Hansen has moved into an attacking role alongside Jason Holland but is yet to see the fruits of the expected evolution and implementation of the All Blacks attack under the new coaching regime.
The 2024 All Blacks set-piece play-off scrums and lineouts were one-dimensional and predictable. The ball went to Jordie Barrett five seconds into the second, who threw a short pass to Rieko Ioane in traffic, causing a frequent error.
This is just one example, but we should see clear progress by 2025. Otherwise, doubts about Robertson’s attack would linger into the following years.
