Day: December 10, 2025

Rugby World Cup 2027: Given the All Blacks’ obvious flaws over the last two seasons. It seems almost certain that the team will move to replace the departing Jason Holland. That is the view of reporter Patrick McKendry, who notes Holland’s exit. And the question of who might take over will be a central part of New Zealand Rugby’s upcoming end-of-season review.

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During a media call yesterday, New Zealand Rugby’s head of the professional game, Chris Lendrum, made it clear that decisions are looming. We’ve got some decisions to make on the coaching group,” he said. We need to consider whether to replace Jason or to look at the balance we’ve got and think about whether there’s a different way to do things.

His comments highlight that nothing is being ruled out, including restructuring the coaching setup entirely. Head coach Scott Robertson, however, has avoided giving a firm answer on whether Holland, the second assistant to walk away during his tenure, will actually be replaced.

Holland announced that he would not renew his two-year contract on the very day the All Blacks departed on their Grand Slam tour to face Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales. His timing surprised many and added fuel to the speculation already brewing around the team’s inner workings.

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Rugby World Cup: NZ Rugby Defends Robertson’s Authority Amid Growing Speculation

Last year brought its own shock when assistant coach Leon MacDonald abruptly stepped down just eight months into the job. Citing philosophical differences with Robertson. MacDonald became the first All Blacks assistant coach ever to voluntarily leave before his contract was up.

And while Holland has insisted that nothing specific pushed him out. The fact that two assistants have now left early raises unavoidable questions about the working environment under Robertson and his right-hand man, Scott Hansen.

Within rugby circles, it has long been understood that Hansen wields significant influence in the coaching group, which also includes Jason Ryan and Tamati Ellison. To many insiders, Robertson functions more like a modern director of rugby overseeing the big picture.

Hansen handles the more detailed, hands-on coaching responsibilities that people traditionally associate with a head coach. Even so, Lendrum pushed back against the idea that Hansen is running the show. He stressed that Robertson is still fully the head coach in every meaningful sense.

Scott Hansen helps set up the performance week for the All Blacks, Lendrum said. But the head coach of the All Blacks is Scott Robertson, that’s exactly what we appointed him to be. Scott Hansen has a serious and significant role in how the week is structured and how we build toward performance, but the leadership remains with Robertson.

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Rugby World Cup Final: All Blacks Likely to Add New Assistant Coach

Despite those assurances, it appears highly likely that New Zealand Rugby will appoint another assistant coach. Especially considering the issues evident in the All Blacks’ performances over the last two years. This season, Robertson’s side won 10 of their 13 Tests, but their losses to Argentina, South Africa, and England were all marked by the same alarming pattern.

Once the opposition began piling on points, the All Blacks seemed unable to halt the momentum or adjust quickly. There were problems with the attack as well. At times, the team struggled to break down well-organised defences, and their transition defence frequently let them down.

Perhaps most concerning was their vulnerability at set pieces against England. They conceded two tries directly from these situations, something almost unheard of for the All Blacks. Another major area needing improvement is their ability to field high balls.

Robertson has gone so far as to call the high ball a modern set piece, putting it on the same level of importance as scrums, lineouts, and restarts. Veteran Sky commentator Tony Johnson recently remarked on Sport Nation radio that he fully expects New Zealand Rugby to bring in a specialist coach to address this weakness.

In his view, the All Blacks are now clearly behind teams like South Africa, Ireland, France, England, Argentina, and even Australia. Currently ranked seventh in the world in dealing with contestable kicks.

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I’ve heard enough already from Dublin, from London, and from everyone else confidently predicting that Ireland only needs to show up in Australia to stroll through Pool D at the Rugby World Cup 2027. I’ve also had my fill of the bold claims that England are destined to march all the way to the final from their side of the draw. Let’s be clear: I’m not suggesting Scotland is about to win the Rugby World Cup 2027.

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They won’t, but they are one group-stage victory away from making a serious run deep into the tournament. And that one crucial win over Ireland is far from impossible. These two nations have never exactly been warm toward each other in rugby circles, and that tension isn’t going anywhere. In fact, over the next two years leading up to the Rugby World Cup 2027, it will almost certainly escalate.

The bad blood stretches back to 2017, when Scotland chose not to support Ireland’s bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Instead, they cast their vote for France, breaking what had long been regarded as a gentleman’s agreement: The Six Nations countries would back each other in hosting bids.

Some of the Irish officials who felt betrayed by that decision are still involved in the sport today, and the resentment hasn’t faded. On the field, the rivalry has been just as fierce.

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Rugby World Cup: When Club Battles Spill into National Rivalry

The two nations used to trade blows fairly evenly until Ireland pulled away, winning Grand Slams and establishing itself as one of the world’s top sides. Former Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan once summed up the Irish view of Scotland harshly, accusing them of having some deluded notion that they are better than they are.

At a more personal level, Johnny Sexton famously dismissed Scotland’s star playmaker, Finn Russell, calling him merely flashy and a media darling. Things have not been much calmer during matches either. In the 2019 Rugby World Cup meeting in Japan, Scotland’s Pierre Schoeman shoved Ireland’s Dan Sheehan over an advertising hoarding during a heated moment.

Even at the club level, relations have not been smooth. Munster scrum-half Conor Murray once claimed that Glasgow Warriors, then coached by Gregor Townsend, had deliberately targeted his standing leg in a European match to injure him. Townsend strongly denied the accusation, but it added yet another layer to an already strained relationship.

There is also a natural degree of envy from Scotland toward Ireland’s remarkable success at both club and international level. Irish rugby has enjoyed a decade of stability, investment, and results, something Scotland has struggled to match. But recent Champions Cup action brought some encouragement for the Scots.

Glasgow beat Sale Sharks away, while Edinburgh defeated three-time champions Toulon at the Hive. Leinster did beat Harlequins, but Bath, with Finn Russell pulling the strings, hammered Munster.

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Rugby World Cup Final: Uruguay and Portugal No Threat? The Pool D Reality Check

If the Scottish clubs finish this European season stronger than the Irish ones, it will only fuel their confidence heading into 2027. Pool D in 2027 consists of Ireland, Scotland, Uruguay, and Portugal. Uruguay and Portugal are spirited, well-coached sides, but they are not strong enough to threaten either Scotland or Ireland.

Scotland beat Uruguay 31–19 last summer, even while resting many star players, and they put 59 points on Portugal later in the year. Realistically, this pool will be a straight shoot-out between Scotland and Ireland. Ireland’s recent dominance in the fixture is undeniable. They have beaten Scotland in their last three Rugby World Cup Final meetings and in all eleven matches since.

Gregor Townsend became Scotland’s coach. Their fans practically celebrated the draw announcement, and with that track record, it’s understandable to a point. But by 2027, the balance of power may look different. The Irish are already mapping out their route to the final, even though they have never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in their history.

Scotland’s best showing was reaching the 1991 semi-final against England. But whoever wins Pool D in 2027 earns a favourable path: Italy, Georgia, the USA, or Tonga in the last 16; Argentina in the quarter-finals; then England or Australia in the semi-finals, with France, South Africa, or New Zealand likely waiting in the final. If Scotland tops the pool, that opportunity becomes theirs.

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