Even though the New Zealanders suffered four losses during the season, former Wallabies winger Drew Mitchell has reflected on the All Blacks’ first season under coach Scott Robertson and insisted that it is not “panic stations by any means.”
After Ian Foster left, coach Robertson took over as head coach, and the All Blacks’ new era began in July with two Test matches against England. New Zealand had a significant victory over Fiji to support their narrow victory in both games.
However, the All Blacks’ hopes of winning the Rugby Championship were dashed when they lost to Los Pumas 38-30 in Wellington. Additionally, the world champion Springboks defeated the All Blacks twice on the road in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The only setback to the New Zealanders’ remarkably successful end-of-year tour against the heavyweights up north was a defeat to Antoin Dupont’s France. The Kiwis ended the year with victories over Australia, Japan, England, Ireland, and Italy.
The All Blacks aren’t the best team in the world right now, having lost four games this season and failing to win a Rugby Championship title. It’s not all bad news, though, as players like Wallace Sititi, the All Blacks Player of the Year, and Will Jordan stand out.
The All Blacks appear to be getting better under coach Robertson.
On Kick Offs and Kick Ons, Mitchell stated, “I’m not sure if they would be happy.” The standards they’ve been held to for so long are the only reason I say they wouldn’t be happy, but I don’t think it’s panic stations by any means.
Scott Robertson is coming in, of course. Regarding the guard of leadership, there has been some change. Scott Robertson has had to cope with a wide variety of abnormalities.
“I believe they’re doing well and that they’ve discovered some excellent players, like Wallace Sititi and Will Jordan, who will play a significant role even if he wasn’t discovered.
“Look, they’re always going to be good… it’s just about finding the blend of which players work with which players.
“If there’s anyone out that can get the best out of a player it’s probably going to be Scott Robertson in the All Blacks setup, and I think they’ve got the cattle to be really competitive. I also think they’re on an upward trajectory.”
On the Kick Offs and Kick Ons’ ‘Christmas Bonanza’ Mitchell also chimed in on how the other southern hemisphere teams performed in 2024. Alongside Matt Giteau and Adam Ashley-Cooper, the trio of former Wallabies shared their views on Australia, Argentina and South Africa.
The Wallabies scored a courageous win over England and a massive triumph over Wales during their Spring Tour, which generated some significant rugby buzz and talk in Australia. They couldn’t complete the grand slam, but the stage is set for a fascinating British and Irish Lions Series next year.
Ashley-Cooper labelled Argentina the “Win Pumas” – typically termed Los Pumas – and commended them for their good performances, which included wins over their three Rugby Championship rivals in a single campaign for the first time.
But then there’s the world no. 1 Springboks, who Mitchell characterised as “the best positioned in world rugby.” Before the first Test against the All Blacks in Johannesburg, Jesse Kriel insisted that the Boks have gotten better since last year’s Rugby World Cup success.
With a Rugby Championship title, drought-breaking Freedom Cup victory, and other good talking points under coach Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks followed up their status as two-time reigning world champions with a series of statement results.
“The depth that Rassie Erasmus has created is phenomenal. He utilised I think 51 players this year and not because he had to put because they were in a position or privilege where they were so strong that they could afford to make wholesale changes against opponents that are still tier one nations,” Mitchell added.
“By doing that [he] was blooding young guys to that arena so that in the instance that some of these guys don’t make it to the ’27 World Cup, they’ve got ready and made replacements.
“I think he’s always innovating, Rassie, he’s got genuine superstars, he’s got players that can play different types of footy. They can play that 10-man rugby if they need to – if the opposition or conditions call on that – but they can also play expansive.
“Of yesteryear, the Springboks were probably criticised for not being able to play that type of footy but you look at the Cheslin Kolbe’s, the [Kurt-Lee] Arendse’s, the [Aphelele] Fassie’s at fullback, [Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu]… they just have the capacity to really open teams up and play the transition type footy as well.”
