Matt Williams revels in All Blacks ‘mess’ after ‘exceptionally harsh’ Scott Robertson sacking

Australian coach and outspoken pundit Matt Williams felt that Scott Robertson’s dismissal was “exceptionally harsh”, but is taking pleasure in the crisis the All Blacks find themselves in.

New Zealand Rugby are searching for a new head coach after they decided to terminate Robertson’s contract midway through his four-year deal.

It is a huge call from the governing body and brings about significant upheaval with the Rugby World Cup now under two years away.

Considering the dominance the All Blacks have generally enjoyed over the past century, it is a remarkable situation.

Williams, who has coached the Waratahs, Leinster and Scotland during his career, is certainly enjoying it and quipped: “It’s great to see the Kiwis in a mess, isn’t it?”

‘Not a great era of New Zealand players’

“It’s nuts what’s happening in New Zealand, it is pretty much unprecedented,” he told Off The Ball.

“You’ve got to have player power, players need to be empowered. What the rumour is… some players said that if he is the coach, we’re not playing.

“It seems impossible for me to comprehend that 18 months out from a World Cup people are going to walk away from the team, from the legacy, from their last-ever World Cup.

“New Zealand’s a very, very tough place to be the head coach, they are never happy unless you win every game.

“It’s been a series of appointments from within, and then for the first time they cut it and Robbo came in.

“Coaching an international team is a different planet to coaching a club side and Robbo’s four-year plan was to have four quality players in every position before the next World Cup.

“What have you got to do to do that? You’ve got to give guys time. When you’re trying to develop players, that takes a toll on the team.

“I think it is exceptionally harsh. I don’t think this is a great era of New Zealand players. All the New Zealand journos saying: ‘No one respects us anymore, we’re not the best’. They’re blaming the coach.

“South Africa are better than anyone on the planet, there’s not much between the next five teams – now they can’t cope with that answer.

“What’s the answer? They sack the coach and they’re going to bring in someone else.”

All Blacks great: Scott Robertson was ‘backed into a corner’ by New Zealand Rugby

All Blacks coaching options

The All Blacks’ next Test is in July but NZR will be looking to appoint their next head coach quickly.

Jamie Joseph is the favourite, while Joe Schmidt’s name has also been heavily mentioned. There are several other potential options, including Irishman Ronan O’Gara, but Williams insists that it will be a New Zealander.

“I’m not speaking against Ronan at all, he’s done a fabulous job at La Rochelle, but he’s not in that conversation over there,” he said.

“Jamie Joseph is for my mind the frontrunner. Perhaps they have a Wayne Smith in and then Jamie Joseph takes over. There is talk to bring Joe Schmidt on the staff.

“If they appointed Joseph, there is a strong feeling that Tony Brown would leave the Boks and come back. Now they would have to break contracts to do that.

“Wayne Smith is right up there with the best rugby brains I’ve ever met. The New Zealand women’s national team was in a bit of a crisis 18 months out from a World Cup. They brought in Wayne and he brought in some people around, and they were absolutely fantastic for the home World Cup four years ago.

“Whether he wants to do it or whether they will ask him, I’m not sure.”

READ MORE: All Blacks job: Two fan favourites emerge after Scott Robertson’s sacking