Timing not right for Munster job, says Crusaders boss Scott Robertson

Robertson's sights are set on Test rugby, ideally with the All Blacks

Wed, 09 Feb, 2022 - 16:06

Simon Lewis

Crusaders boss Scott Robertson has distanced himself from the impending Munster head coach vacancy and told the Irish Examiner his sights are set on taking the reins of the All Blacks.

Speaking as a special guest on the Irish Examiner Six Nations Videocast hosted by Donal Lenihan and also featuring Ronan O’Gara and Peter Jackson, the New Zealander and former All Black back-rower addressed reports linking him as a potential successor to Johann van Graan, who will switch to Bath at the end of the season.

Though Robertson, who led the Crusaders to three in a row Super Rugby titles followed by back-to-back Super Rugby Aotearoa championships during the Covid-19 pandemic, said the timing was not right for a move to Europe for family reasons, he said he would need to move to Europe to further his coaching career and that time would come potentially after the World Cup.

The 47-year-old also said his decision would be contingent on the status of the All Blacks’ head coaching role after the tournament, with current incumbent Ian Foster currently under pressure after successive defeats to Ireland and France last November.

Asked by Lenihan if he was interested in the Munster vacancy, Robertson said: “The timing’s not right.

“I’ve got a couple more years down here in New Zealand. I’d love to but I’ve got three young boys, the youngest is 13, so we’re just trying to make sure that we give them every opportunity to grow up in New Zealand.

“And opportunity as coaches, it’s not very often you get to choose where you want to go and what you want to be or what club but fortunately I’ve coached a team that I’ve played for and am really passionate about with the Crusaders. I played for them for eight years and I’m six years coaching them and that’s unique. You look anywhere, hardly anyone gets to do that.

“But,” he added, “I’m also ambitious. I want to change how people think about coaching, how they do coach and to do that I’ll have to go to the Northern Hemisphere and get out of my comfort zone and understand how I can add to the current culture there.

“It would want to be after the World Cup, see what happens here with the All Blacks, you know, do I coach another club or do I coach a country?”

Robertson indicated he believes his future lies in Test rugby although the concept of a World Club Challenge, pitting Super Rugby and European champions against one another would be a big carrot to remaining with the Crusaders.

“You know, why would I coach another club, I’m at the best club in the world, I believe.

“What would keep me here would be a World Club Challenge. I’d love to take the Crusaders and have a crack at La Rochelle or whoever wins Europe. I’d love to be able to have a go if it’s Leinster or if it’s Toulouse.

“I’d love to be able to go and truly find out the styles of rugby. We could run out 13 All Blacks in a big game and that’s what people want to see. That’s what people want to know and I want to find out about myself as well, as a coach in one of those pinnacle games.

“So the next one that really intrigues me is Test-match rugby. It can bring the best out in people and I’d love to do it for New Zealand but if it means I have to go to another country before I came back to New Zealand I’d do it for sure.”

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