And it is the threat posed by the Boks next year (four Tests in an eight-match \u201cGreatest Rivalry\u201d<\/a> tour) and the year after at the World Cup<\/a> (they are potential quarter-final opponents in Australia), which may be occupying the thoughts of the New Zealand Rugby board when they read what will be an eagerly awaited review of the All Blacks’ year.<\/p>\n Boks prop Ox Nche goes on the attack during South Africa’s demolition of the All Blacks in Wellington. (Source: Photosport)<\/p>\n The shocking second-half meltdown against the old enemy at the Cake Tin, the departure of Holland, who elected not to renew his contract, and the recurring themes of leaky transition defence, poor discipline, an unreliable aerial game and a clunky attack will almost certainly lead to a beefing up of Robertson\u2019s coaching crew which now consists of Jason Ryan, Tamati Ellison and Scott Hansen.<\/p>\n The Herald this month reported that NZ Rugby\u2019s former head of high performance Don Tricker, who is now employed by the San Diego Padres baseball club, will be involved in the All Blacks\u2019 review, which is a routine annual task but which has taken on added importance following the team’s consistent inconsistency and Holland\u2019s departure which came after Leon MacDonald\u2019s <\/a>last year.<\/p>\n As usual there will be disgruntled players regarding selections – probably few more so than Anton Lienert-Brown, who played a few minutes off the bench in Cordoba and started against France in Hamilton. His only other involvement in a Test this year was a start against Wales at the Principality Stadium. <\/p>\n The midfielder is likely relishing the chance for fresh opportunities on his sabbatical <\/a>to Kobe Steelers next year and likewise Rieko Ioane, who was dropped from the left wing after the victory over the Boks at Eden Park.<\/p>\n All Black Rieko Ioane made his debut for Leinster in their victory over Harlequins in Dublin this month. (Source: Photosport)<\/p>\n Caleb Clarke or Leicester Fainga\u2019anuku were preferred on the left wing ahead of Ioane, with the latter also moving ahead of him as a centre option.<\/p>\n Ioane\u2019s only involvement after that Eden Park win was 30 minutes off the bench in Perth and a start in the No.13 jersey against Wales. Ioane is now representing Irish club Leinster and faces an uncertain future with the All Blacks on his return next year.<\/p>\n Feedback from all the players and management team will be sought for the review. <\/p>\n Overall, while Robertson and his coaches built depth in several positions, the team appeared to tread water in terms of skill development and their tendency to concede points quickly was a common theme in their three defeats. <\/p>\n Here is a view from the sidelines: <\/p>\n Best performance<\/p>\n The 26-13 victory over Ireland<\/a> at Soldier Field.<\/p>\n The All Blacks had to fight off the adversity of losing skipper Scott Barrett in the opening minutes and brother Jordie later in the first half due to injuries.<\/p>\n They were helped by a red card shown to lock Tadhg Beirne but Ireland were the better team during that period and Robertson\u2019s men had to fight back from a 10-7 halftime deficit which went to 13-7 early in the second half.<\/p>\n Cam Roigard and Ardie Savea celebrate Roigard’s try against Ireland in Chicago. (Source: Photosport)<\/p>\n However, an increasingly dominant scrum, better discipline and an attack which reaped three tries in the final quarter allowed the All Blacks to blow past Ireland in what was easily their best second-half performance of the year and perhaps ever under Robertson’s reign.<\/p>\n Second place goes to their victory over the Boks<\/a> in Auckland. <\/p>\n Any win over the back-to-back world champions is worth celebrating and the All Blacks were deserved victors for their defensive excellence in the opening three quarters of the Test and a more rounded attack, but a mighty Boks\u2019 scrum in the second half as they mounted a comeback foreshadowed a disaster for Robertson\u2019s men a week later.<\/p>\n Worst performance<\/p>\n Easy: the 43-10 defeat to South Africa.<\/a><\/p>\n Remarkably, the All Blacks led 10-7 at halftime, with wing Leroy Carter scoring a perfectly-executed try in what promised to be a dream Test debut.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, lock Lood de Jager, first-five Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, halfback Cobus Reinach and fullback Aphelele Fassi all departed due to injury in the opening 40 minutes but rather than fold after halftime the Boks were somehow supremely energised and scored five tries to condemn the All Blacks to a record defeat.<\/p>\n Robertson\u2019s men struggled in the set piece, their lineout disintegrating in the final quarter, and, in general, lacked ideas about how to respond to the onslaught. The disarray was too much for thousands of home fans, many of whom left the stadium before the final whistle. All told, it made for quite the spectacle.<\/p>\n Leicester Fainga’anuku scores for the All Blacks against England at Twickenham. (Source: Photosport)<\/p>\n A month earlier the All Blacks backed up their victory over Argentina in Cordoba with a poor second-half performance in their defeat in Buenos Aires.<\/p>\n And, worryingly for the All Blacks, their defeat to England at Twickenham was entirely predictable given the All Blacks’ vulnerabilities and the talent coach Steve Borthwick was able to select on his bench – another area in which Robertson\u2019s men trail behind the Boks (and now England).<\/p>\n Most consistent player<\/p>\n Ardie Savea<\/p>\n Again. The All Blacks\u2019 loose forward leader was again hugely influential. He can virtually do it all and his breakdown steal in the final moments to help seal the victory over the Boks at Eden Park will live long in the memory. Strangely, he didn\u2019t make the shortlist of World Rugby\u2019s player of the year (which featured three South Africans and a Frenchman \u2013 it was awarded to Boks hooker Malcolm Marx), but he cleaned up at the New Zealand awards<\/a>, winning the Super Rugby player of the year, All Blacks player of the year, and the overall Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year award.<\/p>\n Best newcomer<\/p>\n Fabian Holland<\/p>\n The Dutch-born lock made his Test debut against France in Dunedin in July and played 80 minutes. Holland <\/a>impressed with his work rate, energy and toughness. An excellent year for him. He started in 10 of his 12 Tests and was named World Rugby’s breakthrough player<\/a> of 2025.<\/p>\n Most promising<\/p>\n Leicester Fainga\u2019anuku<\/p>\n “Promising” may sound odd given Fainga’ankuku is aged 26 and has now played 12 Tests, but such was the impact the big wing or midfielder made when he started in the No.11 jersey against Australia in Perth that he was very quickly a fixture in the side and promises to remain so next year. <\/p>\n He, along with others, may have wondered why it took so long for the selectors to pick him. After arriving back from a couple of years in France, Fainga’anuku was named in the squad as a replacement for the injured Timoci Tavatavanawai in early September but had to be content with training rather than being involved in the two Tests against the Boks or the first Bledisloe Cup Test.<\/p>\n But such is his power and offloading ability that Fainga’anuku quickly showed he was requirement at either No.11 or No.13. <\/p>\n![\"Boks](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/boks-prop-ox-nche-goes-on-the-attack-during-south-africas-de-ROTD3VV5L5FDXFEYXNCOQOCIAI.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"All](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/rieko-ioane-MZNUTY55RJEN5IAA3HGJ5H5AVU.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Cam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/cam-roigard-and-ardie-savea-celebrate-roigards-try-against-i-AJHN7PNKCVBX5NBXVFFZLF3K6Q.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Leicester](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/leicester-faingaanuku-scores-for-the-all-blacks-against-engl-AN347CVA7FDYRCYNT4XDNDZUB4.jpg\")
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