It’s almost as if Scott Robertson decided he needed to break the All Blacks before he could fix them.
At least I hope that. It’s always preferable to think that there’s a method to the apparent madness.
Looking back on the team’s 2024 season now, I suspect the new head coach allowed the players to play in the fashion that they wanted. You believe in this rugby fellas, then you go and play it.
Losses to Argentina and South Africa (twice) followed, before the shambolic 31-28 victory over Australia in Sydney. It’s at that point that it appears the players accepted their way didn’t work and allowed Robertson to shape the All Blacks in the image of his all-conquering Crusaders sides.
Again, that’s what I hope happened.
Alternatively, Robertson came to the conclusion he and the team risked becoming a laughing stock and ripped the preceding game plan up. Self-preservation is a powerful force, after all.
Either way, the All Blacks performed creditably from there on and finished the season far better than they started it.
With the end of the 2024 fast approaching, it seems appropriate to dissect the test season a little and pick out some of the best and worst bits.
The forward pack: I can’t really praise these guys enough, both individually and as a collective. They didn’t deserve to lose to the Springboks, for instance, and will have sat in the dressing room after those games feeling let down by the backline.
The set pieces were largely excellent by the end of the season, the ball running and passing highly effective and the loose forwards were able to shine thanks to the work done by the tight five.
All Blacks packs have been bullied a bit in recent years, but the 2024 team restored some pride to the jersey.
Player of the year: Look, it’s Ardie Savea. But it could’ve been Wallace Sititi or Tyrel Lomax or Tupou Vaa’i. Codie Taylor and Sam Cane deserve honourable mentions, as does Tamaiti Williams. Ethan Backadder was superb against South Africa and then couldn’t get back on the park.
I wouldn’t mention many backs in the same breath as these blokes.
The backs: Cam Roigard looks a special player, while there is definitely something to work with in Cortez Ratima. He’s not the finished article, but the potential to be a good player is there.
Will Jordan shouldn’t ever be shunted back to the wing, such is the influence he can have from fullback.
I still think first five-eighth is a bit of a worry, but the mid-season change in playing style was so pronounced that even Damian McKenzie couldn’t stuff it up when he started against Ireland.
As long as whoever is No.10 remains a facilitator, rather than the sole source of attack, the team should do all right.
Area of concern: The midfield requires change. You couldn’t call Jordie Barrett and Rieko Ioane a combination. They’re two individuals trying to carry strongly when they get the opportunity, but they create little and provide few opportunities to those outside them.
Someone obviously sees some value in having Anton Lienert-Brown finish games, but it’s still not obvious to me.
Caleb Clarke gets a couple of worthwhile gallops a game, but needs far more ball. Unfortunately too much good ball dies as soon as it hits Ioane’s hands.
Sam Cane: I’d call Cane a fine All Black, rather than a great one.
On the whole, the captaincy was more a curse than a blessing and provided people an opportunity to criticise him. Fans needed an outlet for their frustration with the team and Cane, as captain, was it.
Through it all, he carried himself with dignity and class.
I did not see the value in Robertson selecting Cane this year and was not of the opinion that he deserved a swansong at this stage of the Rugby World Cup cycle.
That said, Cane was consistently excellent in 2024 and I can’t think of a time when the rugby public have held him in higher esteem than they do now.
Some former captains can be malcontents, but you’d never accuse Cane of that. He should be proud of the way he’s played and conducted himself, not just this year but throughout his career.
