Robertson Leads Barbarians After All Blacks Exit
Scott Robertson will coach the Barbarians for their summer tour after being dismissed as New Zealand All Blacks head coach. Robertson previously coached the Barbarians in their 2017 match against New Zealand and brings his dynamic style to the invitational side known for attacking rugby. The appointment comes as New Zealand Rugby undergoes a major restructure with CEO Chris Lendrum resigning and a new Chief Rugby Officer role created to separate business decisions from rugby operations.
- Scott Robertson's dismissal came after a 2025 season that included the All Blacks' heaviest defeat in 120 years, a 43-10 loss to South Africa in Wellington, and their first-ever loss in Argentina. His overall record was 20 wins from 27 tests, a 74% winning percentage. - The departure followed a "scathing" end-of-season review that revealed senior player dissatisfaction with the team's culture, coaching, and environment under his leadership. NZR Chair David Kirk stated the team was not on the right "trajectory" for the 2027 World Cup. - This short, tumultuous international tenure stands in stark contrast to his highly successful run as head coach of the Crusaders, where he won seven consecutive Super Rugby titles from 2017 to 2023. He finished his time with the Crusaders with a record of 98 wins from 117 games. - The Barbarians' summer tour will see them face reigning world champions South Africa at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on June 20, 2026. This is followed by a double-header against both the Wales men's and women's teams at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham on June 27. - Robertson is part of a four-man Barbarians coaching team that includes Argentina's head coach Felipe Contepomi, Racing 92 head coach Patrice Collazo, and Argentina assistant coach Kenny Lynn. - The new High Performance Director role at New Zealand Rugby will report directly to the CEO and is tasked with singular oversight of the national teams' performance, particularly the All Blacks. This change is part of a broader strategy to ensure national teams are consistently winning. - A non-compete clause included in his severance package prevents Robertson from coaching a top-tier international rival until the beginning of 2027.
