Scott Robertson: Crusaders coach on the All Blacks job, media comments and impending Super Rugby season

You would be hard pressed to find a more talked about person in New Zealand sport than Scott Robertson. Having coached the Crusaders to six Super Rugby championships, he’s been touted by many as a replacement to incumbent Ian Foster as All Blacks coach, whose position has come under threat following a turbulent season for the men in black. Rumours have swirled since the poor performances of the last All Blacks season and were fuelled in recent weeks by the Christchurch-based coach’s comments to media regarding New Zealand Rugby’s employment process and overseas offers he may have received. Robertson wouldn’t provide more detail around his comments when he joined Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking on Friday, saying there was more to the story that he was unable to explain. He told the breakfast host he had learned a lesson from the storm he had a hand in creating. “There’s going to be a headline whatever I say,” Robertson told Hosking. “I’ve got to play a straight bat, I’m going to play straight as you possibly can, that anything regarding All Blacks stuff has to go back to them [NZ Rugby]. I’ve learned my lesson. “It’s hard to explain, because there’s a different context to it. All these questions you get around it, that’ll be fully explained one day, but a lesson was learned.” Given he is one of the most discussed people in the country at the moment, Scott Robertson isn’t letting future employment get in the way of his final season at the helm of the Crusaders. He says the support of coaching staff and the leadership group is keeping him grounded. “You’ve just got to come in every day,” Robertson said. “I’ve got an amazing coaching group, so if anyone needs to give me a pep talk they will. “They’ve got to keep me on as well, just as much as I keep them on, potentially, if there was distraction. “You just make those things obvious, if you keep them tucked away they can rear their head.” Approaching the first game of the season is something Robertson is familiar with, but told Mike Hosking he and his team are up for it. “I love it. This is why you coach, for these big matches and getting your team ready. There’s always that part where you go ‘what’s going to happen?’ and that’s what keeps you excited.” On Wednesday, current All Blacks coach Ian Foster joined the Mike Hosking Breakfast and the incumbent shared his doubts as to whether he would be in the job come next year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.