Justin Marshall feels several All Blacks will have to prove themselves in Super Rugby Pacific this year after Scott Robertson’s axing from his position as New Zealand’s head coach.
Robertson was fired from his position last week, just two years into a four-year contract.
That decision was made after a review by the governing body into the 2025 season headed by NZR chairman David Kirk.
The review was undertaken by Kirk, former All Blacks hooker and NZR board member Keven Mealamu as well as ex-NZR high performance manager Don Tricker.
Robertson’s successor is set to be announced in the coming weeks and Marshall, who made 81 appearances for New Zealand in the international arena and represented the Crusaders in 105 matches at Super Rugby level, feels numerous All Blacks will have to readjust their thinking and approach to the game.
‘Players probably have complacency in their systems’
“Those players probably have a bit of complacency in their systems, because they’re used to getting picked,” he told Radio New Zealand.
“They’re used to going out and doing what they’ve been doing for the last six years, 10 years, whatever it might be.
“That coach is going to be announced, so all those players that were working under (Robertson) have to reset.
“Because they now have to think about ‘do I fit into this with the thinking of a new coach? Is he going to see from me every week that I want to be an All Black?’
“That could be a total mindset change, and they want to make sure they’re performing each week.”
The legendary scrum-half speaks from experience and revealed that he underwent a similar process during his 10-year stint with the All Blacks from 1995 to 2005.
“I came in when Laurie Mains moved on, then John Hart moved on after the World Cup, then Wayne Smith moved on prematurely,” he explained.
“It does make you wonder about where you sit because all of a sudden you are not communicating with that coach regularly. Where they saw you in that environment is no longer relevant because that environment doesn’t exist anymore.”
No reason for pessimism
The 52-year-old feels though that there’s no reason for pessimism and expects the All Blacks and Super Rugby Pacific to be strengthened by it.
“It’s good to be put in that position of pressure, particularly when you’ve been around that environment for a long time and have that familiarity of where you sit,” he said.
“Because it means that you need make sure that you’re performing and maybe showing a little bit of something that we haven’t seen out of your game in a while.
“That might be what the coaches are looking for.”
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