Scott Robertson snub ‘dumbfounds’ Wallabies great after All Blacks boss fails to learn from Lions series
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson and Wallabies great Jeremy Paul.
Former Australia forward Jeremy Paul has been left shocked by Ethan Blackadder’s continued omission from Scott Robertson’s All Blacks squad.
New Zealand named a 36-man group on Monday – with another six players added for injury cover – for the upcoming Rugby Championship.
The likes of Peter Lakai and Wallace Sititi returned while rookie Simon Parker was added after impressing for the Chiefs in Super Rugby Pacific this season.
It meant there was no room in the 42 for Christian Lio-Willie, who started two Tests against France, and Blackadder, with the latter particularly surprising Paul.
Complementing Savea and Sititi
“That dumbfounds me,” he said on the GBRANZ podcast.
“Ardie Savea, Wallace Sititi, they’re not big. They’re powerful, they have massive motors but in terms of balance when you have a seven like Ardie and an eight like Wallace Sititi, Ethan Blackadder is your perfect balance.
“You’ve still got to have a crack at the lineout. We saw on the weekend against the British and Irish Lions. We took three crucial steals in the lineout.”
Blackadder has always been a favourite of Robertson’s, going back to their time together at the Crusaders where they enjoyed unprecedented success.
He was also picked in the All Blacks squad last year, despite only playing five matches for the Christchurch-based outfit prior to the international season.
The 30-year-old ended up playing four Tests in 2024, including the first match in South Africa, before injury ended his campaign.
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Durability, or a lack thereof, has been a consistent issue over recent seasons and that is potentially in the mind of the head coach when it comes to selection.
The flanker managed to string a series of matches together in 2025, however, and featured in all three of the Crusaders’ play-off contests on their way to the Super Rugby title.
Missed the France series
Paul therefore thought Blackadder would be in the All Blacks reckoning, but he was omitted for the France series in July and has not been selected for the start of the Rugby Championship.
After watching the Wallabies dismantle the British and Irish Lions lineout in the third Test last weekend, the ex-hooker felt the Tasman forward could have provided balance to the back-row.
“There was one lineout in particular in the 47th minute when Nick Frost got up. The Lions got penalty, penalty and were 10 metres out from the line; that’s where Ethan Blackadder would be so good,” Paul added.
“In terms of balance and that back-rower who can jump for defensive lineouts… His reading of the lineout. I just don’t understand this decision and why he’s not in.”
Robertson will ultimately decide on his back-row combination next week ahead of their opening match of the Rugby Championship against Argentina.
New Zealand will face Los Pumas twice before the massive double header against the Springboks in Auckland and Wellington.
After those encounters, they will look to defend their Bledisloe Cup title, which has been in their possession since 2003.