Murray Mexted: All Blacks have been ‘buggering around’ for two years and it’s ‘tarnished our image’
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson and an inset of former flanker Murray Mexted.
Former All Blacks loose forward Murray Mexted says that Scott Robertson and his coaching team have been ‘buggering around’ for two years and hopes that they can restore the side’s credibility.
While the 72-year-old admits that the international game is more competitive nowadays, it has led to more defeats for New Zealand.
Two years of buggering around
The ex-back rower points to the amount of experimentation and changes in the team from match to match.
“I think we’ve spent two years buggering around, and maybe we’ve needed that,” Mexted said on the DSPN podcast with Martin Devlin.
“I’m talking about the coaches and selectors of this All Blacks team. It has been two years of experimentation, and that’s tarnished our image in many respects because it’s been very inconsistent.
“I do appreciate that performances these days are more fickle, there’s higher scoring, unexpected losses and unpredictable results, but there’s still some fundamentals that need to be adhered to if you’re going to have a successful team.”
For over a century, the All Blacks maintained a ridiculous win rate of over 80 per cent, but in recent times, New Zealand has seen that record slip somewhat.
In Robertson’s first year in charge, the side won 10 of their 14 Test matches, a win rate of 71% and in 2025, that marginally improved to 77% after losing just three of their 13 games.
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All Blacks need to be consistent
Mexted believes that this is partly due to the lack of international experience of Robertson and his coaching staff. However, he hopes that the departures of Leon MacDonald and Jason Holland during this period will translate into better results with Robertson now operating with the assistant coaches whom he was successful with at the Crusaders: Jason Ryan and Scott Hansen.
“I’ve often said that this All Blacks history is enormous to have won 80% of matches over a hundred years is absolutely fantastic, and that’s what it was when Razor took over,” he continued.
“But Razor took over with a whole bunch of coaches and selectors, many of whom didn’t have the experience of coaching at that level and over the last two years, there’s been a bit of tossing and turning, and I’m not even sure how many permanent coaching staff they have at the moment, but they’ve certainly narrowed down the field.
“There’ve been a lot that are no longer with the All Black team for one reason or another, and it’s sort of almost settled into the threesome that Razor had prior to becoming the All Black coach – so maybe we’ll have more stability from now on, I certainly hope.
“That would be my number one wish for this team over the next couple of years: to restore the credibility and the winning mantra that the All Black team has, that would be number one – restore what we have been to the rugby world. To do that, you’ve got to perform consistently whether it’s home or away.”
The All Blacks kick off 2025 with a clash against France in Christchurch in the newly created Nations Championship before facing off against Italy and Ireland.
That will be followed by the start of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour with the side facing the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls prior to the first Test match against the Springboks at Ellis Park.
They will face the Lions in the final game against a URC franchise before two more Tests against South Africa in Cape Town and at the FNB Stadium, with the series concluding at an international venue.
Robertson’s charges will then play back-to-back Bledisloe Cup Tests against the Wallabies before embarking on their away leg of the Nations Championship with meetings against Scotland, Wales and England.
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