All Blacks squad: Scott Robertson's selections reveal growing confidence in coaching plan
Having started the year with a 3-0 sweep of France and then picking a Rugby Championship squad that aligns almost perfectly with strategic intention, All Blacks coach Scott Robertson is proving to be a disciple of the fail-fast, learn-fast, fix-fast philosophy.
Robertson's first season in charge became memorable
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1News
6 hours ago
- 1News
'Incredible opportunity': Volunteers leap to help Ardie Savea train
All Black Ardie Savea has capped off his preparation for his team's tour to Argentina with an early morning training at Wellington's St Patrick's College featuring plenty of young and eager volunteers. In an Instagram post last night, the 31-year-old called for assistance with a skills session or "just go for a run", and several turned up, despite the 6am start, including a student from Palmerston North Boys' High. 'To be fair, selfishly, I needed help, there's a few rugby skill blocks in there and I can't do it on my own, running at 6am. I can't ask the other rugby boys to get up that early, so, I come here early so I can go home and do the drop-offs with the kids," Savea told 1News today. 'You know, like, one of my blocks is wrestling and a sprint, and if no one turned up, I would be wrestling with the air so it's actually nice the boys turned up," Savea said. Savea trains with students at Wellimgton's St Pats College. (Source: 1News) ADVERTISEMENT One of the kids who took up the chance to rub shoulders with the All Blacks great was Kyren Carmont from Palmerston North Boys'. 'Oh, man, wake up at 3.30am just to take the opportunity to train with Ardie, that's just a massive opportunity,' Kyren told 1News. 'Like, training with him is just incredible. I actually can't believe it still. 'You train with someone that's at a higher level; you get brought up to that level. And yes, I feel like I'm making it up there just by training with him. "It's just an incredible opportunity.' Early morning training at Wellington's St Patrick's College attracts plenty of young and eager volunteers. (Source: 1News) Savea, a leader on and off the field who this year inspired Moana Pasifika to their best-ever Super Rugby position, said he was grateful to have members of the community help him. ADVERTISEMENT 'A few of them really push me,' he said. 'Even though you're young, you still learn a lot when you're old and it's nice to just run around with the youth. "They're fast fit, so they really push you.' Theo, a year 9 student from Wellington College, said: 'Yeah, pretty surreal, because he is such an idol to me — he has been for the last five years. Just to be able to be up close and do some drills with him, it's just pretty special.' Savea added: 'I want them to know that they come and they see me as just a normal kid that grew up in Wellington and I'm just like them. 'So, idol or not, we're just normal people, that were once really like them. We grew up in these communities.' For loose forward Savea, it was one last hit out before the All Blacks leave for Argentina ahead of the Rugby Championship. Their first of two Tests against the Pumas is in Cordoba a week on Sunday. 'People overlook them [Argentina] beating the British and Irish we're over there in their home territory," Savea said. "So it's an exciting tour for us to go there in the first few weeks... but also at the same time, it's a great challenge for us to elevate our game and do better.'
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- RNZ News
Former All Black Richie Mounga returning to NZ
Former All Black, Richie Mounga is set to return to Aotearoa midway through 2026. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- RNZ News
All Blacks: Mo'unga's return, R360 and what it all means
Analysis - Rugby's worst kept secret finally was confirmed today when it was announced that Richie Mo'unga will return to New Zealand next year. On the surface, it appears to be that Scott Robertson's plan to be four players deep in each position for the next World Cup is ticking along nicely, as well as the fact that a player of Mo'unga's calibre still desires to pull on the black jersey. However, the fact that Mo'unga left at all and the unprecedented efforts have been made to get him back is still obviously a touchy subject . It is telling that the news dropped on Thursday, at a time when Robertson is unable to face media as the All Blacks are in transit to Argentina. It was left to the Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge and now fully redeemed coach Rob Penney to front up, which was really a breeze as it's only good news for them. Tellingly, Mansbridge did let slip that he didn't expect to be delivering that good news. "No…we always work hard on making this place a place you want to call home," he said when asked if he had been confident of the seven-time Super Rugby champion returning, as rumours had swirled about a potential move for Mo'unga to Moana Pasifika and other NZ Super Rugby Pacific teams. Richie Mo'unga walks past the World Cup after losing the final to the Springboks, 2023. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2023 "We bleed the culture into the walls as best we can and hopefully it gets under the skin. He had a choice, and we're stoked about (his) choice." For his part, Penney's future may now have been confirmed as a long term coach rather than the placeholder everyone thought he would be. "I think it's great for New Zealand rugby that he's back, adding to the depth…he's part of the Crusader legacy," said Penney, alluding to the fact that Robertson will have some tough calls to make once Mo'unga is available for test selection late next year. Richie Mo'unga. Photo: PHOTOSPORT While most had presumed that Mo'unga would see out his lucrative contract at Toshiba Brave Lupus, where he has won two consecutive Japan Rugby League One titles, the signing of Damian McKenzie through till 2029 was a sign that Robertson had future-proofed his playmaker stocks regardless. Mo'unga, McKenzie and Beauden Barrett probably don't all fit into the same All Black squad now, let alone next year, unless Robertson falls back into the same selection thinking started by Steve Hansen and carried on by Ian Foster. Whatever the case may be, Mo'unga and McKenzie's employment status is a strong riposte to the continuing news of the rebel R360 competition's potential existence . Mo'unga would have been a prime candidate for R360, given that nothing was stopping him for taking an even bigger payday than the one he's already on in Japan. The R360 concept is for a grand prix-style travelling league that would feature franchise-based teams and would be played over 21 weeks, featuring 16 rounds, commencing in September next year. Mike Tindall, 2011. Photo: Richard Hood/Photosport Fronted by former England test player Mike Tindall , R360 is supposedly backed by Middle Eastern funding - although it's not clear whether that includes the seemingly bottomless Saudi Public Investment Fund that's completely reshaped heavyweight boxing and given rise to LIV Golf. Whatever the case may be, it's still a long way off being anything more than an idea, especially given that the only players who have been linked to it are ones playing another code . Reports out of Australia have said that several Wallabies and at least one All Black have been approached with eye-watering R360 salary offers. But for now, the only relevant contract news that is actually confirmed is that of All Blacks re-signing and Mo'unga returning. If R360 is actually a thing and does have the resources it its purported to have, no one is quite believing it. Given there's no broadcast deal or big name current test players willing to put their names to it yet, that's hardly a surprise. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
