All Blacks’ judgment under the microscope as Jason Holland follows Leon MacDonald out the door

Saturday, 25 October 2025

ANALYSIS: Either Scott Robertson erred in selecting his original All Blacks coaching team, or he got it right but subsequently failed to empower them to the degree they wanted to stick around.

Neither is a great look for the All Blacks, but it’s impossible to come to any other conclusion after Jason Holland’s exit on Thursday.

During his press conference, Holland didn’t give the impression that he was particularly torn up to leave what should be one of the plum jobs in world rugby.

Reading between the lines, he missed the autonomy he enjoyed as head coach of the Hurricanes.

There has been plenty of criticism of the All Blacks’ attack this year, but it was hard to detect Holland’s influence - at the Hurricanes he worked hard to have multiple options around the ball carrier at the line, with plenty of players in motion.

In fact, Holland’s departure and that of Leon MacDonald last year, may simply be a reflection of what everyone can see on the field.

The All Blacks have struggled for consistency on attack and defence and at times have not looked like they are reading the same book, never mind being on the same page.

Holland’s departure has now reduced Robertson’s original coaching team to the Crusaders rump of Robertson, Scott Hansen, Jason Ryan and Tamati Ellison - with Bryn Evans offering expertise at the lineout.

The All Blacks’ next step will indicate whether there in fact have been too many voices from the outset.

But should they pursue a replacement - and Robertson said on Thursday that it was too early to make a call on that - the seniority of that coach will be telling.

Instinctively, it feels like the All Blacks need a big personality and big dissenting voice to challenge the Crusaders contingent.

Straight-talking Irishman Ronan O’Gara would be perfect, although he is on a very good wicket at La Rochelle in France and New Zealand Rugby would likely have to compensate the Top 14 club for his services.

But O’Gara would not be afraid to come in and tell it like it is and there is a sense that he might have taken La Rochelle as far as he can - after years of success they are currently 11th in the Top 14.

Alternatively, the All Blacks could promote from within, with David Hill and Cory Jane the obvious candidates given that they are in their second year with the All Blacks XV.

Jane’s expertise under the high ball would seem to dovetail nicely with an area of All Blacks vulnerability.

That could leave the Hurricanes scrambling for a replacement close to the start of the Super Rugby Pacific season, and the Super Rugby clubs’ appetite for disruption will be close to zero.

Holland and MacDonald, of course, were both recruited out of Super Rugby head coaching roles but both are now gone.

It’s a messy situation that turns up the pressure before the grand slam tour and questions the judgement of the All Blacks’ decision-makers.