Following the conclusion of the 2025 Autumn Nations Series, we update you on the state of the participating nations. Next up, it’s Scott Robertson’s All Blacks.
After another frustrating Rugby Championship campaign, which saw them lose out on the title to the Springboks – effectively because of that record defeat in Wellington – a Grand Slam on their northern hemisphere tour was a must in order to save their season.
They took on all the Home Nations in November which followed a July series against France, leaving just Italy as the only traditional tier one nation the All Blacks did not face in 2025. Pressure was on Robertson to deliver having presided over a couple of frustrating years so far, but what transpired rather summed up the team under the Crusaders legend.
Autumn Nations Series summary
The All Blacks, from the players to the fans, expect to win but they quite simply have not been doing enough of that over the past couple of seasons. Having seen silverware pass them by in the 2024 and 2025 Rugby Championship, a Grand Slam tour offered them an opportunity to restore some goodwill with the supporters.
They knew it was not going to be easy, with the opening three matches looking decidedly difficult against Ireland, Scotland and England, but it was certainly not impossible and New Zealand sides of yesteryear would have swept through the month with relative ease.
However, it is fair to say that it was a tough watch for the majority of the month, starting with the Irish game in Chicago. Despite being boosted by Tadhg Beirne’s controversial 20-minute red card early on, it was not until the final quarter did the All Blacks spring to life. They found themselves 13-7 in arrears going into the latter stages but the bench inspired them to a 26-13 success, with Wallace Sititi particularly influential.
Sititi was rewarded for that performance with a start in the next match versus Scotland and it appeared to pay dividends after they opened up a 17-0 advantage at the break. The Chiefs back-rower, playing alongside Ardie Savea and Peter Lakai as part of an excellent loose trio, were dominant and the Scots had no answer.
That was until the second period began. Once again New Zealand, who have developed the habit of not keeping their foot on the throat, eased off and that enabled the hosts back into the contest. Discipline was also a real issue and 17 unanswered points left the match finely poised going into the final 10 minutes. Step forward Damian McKenzie, who scored a try and a penalty to help them snatch the win.
Having escaped in Chicago and Edinburgh, they weren’t quite so fortunate a week later as their Grand Slam dreams were ended by England. It was hardly a surprise, given their previous struggles in 2025, but the manner of it disappointed the fans. At 12-0 in front, New Zealand were very much in command, but they would ship 26 unanswered points to ultimately succumb 33-19.
There was no shortage of criticism following their Grand Slam failure and it was one that weighed heavy on their shoulders going into the final match of the tour in Cardiff. A performance was needed to at least ease the burden on the players and coaches going into 2026, but it was not forthcoming. At one stage, they were just 24-21 in front against a Wales side that have only beaten Japan since the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The All Blacks did up the tempo in the last half-hour to claim 52-26 triumph, but it completed an underwhelming tour and season for New Zealand.
Standout players
It is the oddity of this current All Blacks side that there are more questions than answers with consistency sadly lacking throughout the year. There are few that can really put themselves in a world XV conversation and who are quite frankly guaranteed selection.
The one player in November that enhanced his chances going into 2026 was Peter Lakai, the number eight who was consistently excellent during their Grand Slam tour. Lakai was excellent against both Ireland and Scotland but it was at Twickenham where he stood tallest, with their defeat making his individual display all the more impressive.
He was joined in the loose trio by Wallace Sititi and of course Ardie Savea, two more players that could hold their heads high. They were the best of the forwards, although Tamaiti Williams and Samisoni Taukei’aho generally provided impact off the bench, despite the struggles in the England defeat.
Behind the scrum, New Zealand are still lacking in cohesion, but Cam Roigard finished off a fine season well, Will Jordan rarely drops below a certain standard and will almost certainly take the All Blacks’ try record in 2026, and Leicester Fainga’anuku showed his class after returning from his stint at Toulon.
Stat leaders
It may not have felt like Jordan’s best season but it says a lot about his consistency and sheer excellent that he ended the year as one of the top try-scorers, with seven in 13 Tests, while the full-back or wing also provided six assists.
On the carrying front, the speedster was third on the list and the highest placing back, with All Blacks team-mate Savea, perhaps unsurprisingly, in second. Only the Wallabies’ Harry Wilson with 147 in 14 games beat Savea’s 145 (from 12 Tests).
With Jordan high on carries and try involvements, it is therefore not a shock that he also made the second-most metres during the year with 1,136. Savea was two places behind him on 886 and had more than any other forward. The Savea-Jordan duopoly was a theme on the list with those two also having 37 defenders beaten each.
Savea’s 12 off-loads was joint fourth best before someone else finally got recognition in the shape of Sititi’s 100 per cent pass accuracy as the flanker showed off his skill set. Meanwhile, nine of Beauden Barrett’s passes led to breaks, which was third on the list, and Fabian Holland claimed the most lineouts of anybody with 85, which included five steals.
Holland was also in the top 10 for successful tackles, along with that man Savea, while the latter completed his fine campaign with 13 turnovers, third behind the Wallabies’ Fraser McReight and Manuel Zuliani of Italy.
Success story
Nothing may feel like success for All Blacks fans when they failed to defeat all the Home Nations sides on their northern hemisphere tour, but Robertson will point to the depth they are building, especially when you consider the injuries they have suffered this year.
Josh Lord filled in well after Tupou Vaa’i and Patrick Tuipulotu were ruled out, while the aforementioned Lakai became a real focal point at number eight. The head coach will also be pleased with how Fainga’anuku performed, adding options at both centre and wing.
But ultimately, it is difficult to see how any part of their end-of-year series can be considered a success. Performances did not improve from earlier in the year and they did not achieve their main objective, which was a Grand Slam.
Main regret
Many will look at the England result, given that it was the only match they did not win, but a victory at Twickenham would have only papered over the cracks. The sheer lack of development in Robertson’s side is becoming a real concern and is the reason why they have fallen quite significantly behind the Springboks in the pecking order.
Supporters may have forgiven a tight loss on their northern hemisphere tour had they shown some improvement in their game and perhaps blown away Ireland and Scotland, but they were displays which still left people frustrated.
The clash at Murrayfield was particularly baffling from an All Blacks perspective. The first half was arguably their best of the year as they went into the break 17-0 in front, but what followed in the second was utterly woeful. New Zealand teams of the past would not have utterly annihilated their opponents, but there is a lack of ruthlessness with Robertson’s outfit and you question if it will return in time for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Results
All Blacks v Ireland (All Blacks won 26-13)
All Blacks v Scotland (All Blacks won 25-17)
All Blacks v England (England won 33-19)
All Blacks v Wales (All Blacks won 52-26)