Scott Robertson. Photo: Paul Thomas / Photosport
Analysis - Even in the increasingly chaotic environment of rugby coaching, the news that Jason Holland has returned to the Hurricanes feels odd. Holland was the head coach in Wellington from 2020-23, before leaving to take up an assistant coach role with the All Blacks. His departure from Scott Robertson's set up sees him back at the Hurricanes, albeit in an office down the hall as Clark Laidlaw is the head coach now.
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It said a bit that not only Holland, but Leon MacDonald gave up head coaching roles to be All Black assistant roles. They're not alone either, John Plumtree followed the same route as Holland out of the Hurricanes to an ultimately unsuccessful stint in Ian Foster's set up, and while Foster himself is probably the best example of someone going from helming a Super Rugby side into an assistant coaching job with the All Blacks, the history of those making that transition isn't great.
Jason Holland Photo: Photosport
Because really, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense from an employment point of view. Despite Holland's well-earned reputation as an easy going personality, he went from being the loudest voice in the room to one who had to wait for his turn to speak. Just how the dynamic will work between Holland and Laidlaw will be interesting, but right now the Hurricanes have bigger issues to worry about off the field.
The wider dynamic is worth having a look at too, because there is no certainty Holland will be replaced in the All Blacks or simply folded into the other coaches' responsibilities. It's understood that Robertson is looking at candidates, but one of the main issues in the job market right now is just who is available.
Then, now and comparing coaching set ups
Scott Robertson and Rassie Erasmus. Photo: ActionPress
That's because an awful lot of the people that may well be All Black assistant coaches are already employed. One of Robertson's great strengths during his time at the Crusaders was the ability to assemble heavyweight coaching groups, to which he'd delegate the day to day running of the team, but that was Super Rugby.
Test rugby isn't an environment for staff to learn on the job, so Robertson needs proven performers at test level like other teams have assembled and probably more than what he's got right now. The common historical perception among New Zealand rugby followers is that too many cooks spoil the broth, but one look at the All Blacks' main opponents reveals a completely different story.
Rassie Erasmus currently has eight coaches on his staff, including Tony Brown, and it's strongly rumoured that Jacques Nienaber will rejoin the Springboks sometime before the next World Cup.
England have eight coaches as well, with the most notable development lately being former rugby league great Kevin Sinfield focusing on individual skills and the kicking group. Really that's a role Robertson should be looking to add to his group, especially since both of the aforementioned teams are picking players out of kick-heavy domestic competitions.
Closing the gap
Will Jordan competes for the ball with Tane Edmed. Photo: Daniel Carson/Photosport NZ
The addition of a dedicated skills coach would very much help close the gap in an area that has become a somewhat problematic one for the All Blacks. Super Rugby Pacific's incentivisation for the running game has been fantastic for the competition as a product and long may it continue, but it does come at the cost developing kicking and high ball skills.
That's not to say it doesn't happen, with the business end of this year's competition seeing a big change in approach, culminating in a tense but ironically dour final. But this is more about exposure and repetition of those core skills overall, given that the average young outside back coming through the New Zealand school, club and domestic system would've fielded far less bombs than his South African or English counterpart.
There's a conversation to be had about coaching philosophy in general around the country, but the pressing concern is for that gap to be closed, and this is a situation where the job market is a bit richer. Rugby isn't the only sport that deals in high kicks and skills related to it, so potentially Robertson can look across the Tasman and find someone in the NRL or AFL.
It's that sort of compromise that needs to be reached, especially since part of Robertson's appointment in the first place was his ability to bring what he needed to his staff and work on overall strategy. That second part is what he's certainly been trying to do with the All Blacks, but it only works if he gets the first part right and the team is winning.
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