Murray Mexted insists that the All Blacks have “not improved at all” in 2025 but is confident that Scott Robertson will eventually get it right.
New Zealand ended the campaign with a 52-26 victory over Wales which gave them a record of 10 wins and three losses this year.
It is one fewer defeat than in 2024 but they failed in their quest to regain the Rugby Championship title and seal a Grand Slam on their northern hemisphere tour.
There are still a number of issues in the All Blacks’ game and Mexted does not believe that they have been rectified.
Mexted’s grade for the All Blacks
Asked on DSPN with Martin Devlin what grade he would give Robertson’s team and whether they have developed in 2025, the 72-year-old said: “C- and no, I’m not beating around the bush.
“They haven’t improved at all in my view but what they probably have done is sort out a few guys who aren’t up to it and found a few guys who are, but we haven’t seen the fruits of their labour yet. I think that will come through next year.”
While the All Blacks have struggled in a number of areas, Mexted reckons that some of the core pieces are in place, particularly in the crucial front five area.
“The front-row at the moment I think looks really healthy,” he said, before acknowledging that they still need to work on their scrummaging.
It has been an area of strength for the All Blacks since Jason Ryan took charge of the forwards in 2022, but they have been sent into reverse by the Springboks and England this year.
The talent they have at prop is undeniable, though, while the age-profile of those options remains strong, and Mexted is confident that New Zealand will be in fine shape by the Rugby World Cup.
‘Ready’ by the World Cup
“I don’t think I’ve seen the All Blacks forward pack go back like I have in the last three weeks, it’s incredible that we are going backwards in the scrum,” he said.
“You have to say that there are scrums out there – England’s an example, South Africa’s another – and we’re marking ourselves against the top teams, and we got beaten in the scrum by both South Africa and England.
“That’s not sorted yet… but he’s found a whole lot of players, there’s at least two in every position. Jason Ryan has done a marvellous job; you don’t build these guys overnight.
“Tamaiti Williams is an example, he came on so quickly everyone thought, ‘there’s the solution, he’s a huge man who can dominate every scrum in the world’. Well, that’s proven to be incorrect.”
“[Pasilio] Tosi has come on enormously, that’s a big achievement. It looks to me like he’s got the business.
“We’ve got some growth there, there’s no doubt about it. Next year they will get better and better and by the World Cup they will be ready.”
Mexted is equally pleased by their second-row stocks. They have endured a few injuries in that area this year but that has enabled Scott Robertson to build plenty of depth.
“The locks are the same. I’m happy with what’s happening with the locks. By bringing on [Fabian] Holland and of course [Josh] Lord – he was a great success in the last match,” he added.
“In the background, we’ve still got [Patrick] Tuipulotu and we’ve got [Sam] Darry, who’s genuinely big. I think we’re looking good there for the Rugby World Cup.”
He then concluded: “It’s still a C- minus, they’re still learning their trade at that level and they will all get better and better because they’ve got that potential.”
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