All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson has stood by his selections after yesterday’s squad naming to take on England in next month's two-match Test series.
That series will be the first of Razor’s tenure after being appointed as Ian Foster's successor in March last year - the Tauranga native is signed on to oversee the All Blacks through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Robertson told SENZ’s Scotty & Izzy that it was difficult to narrow down the squad to just 32 players.
“32 makes you really dial down; you sort of have a bit of a luxury when you’re picking 36,” he said.
This meant that some players had to miss out including forwards such as Ricky Riccitelli and Hoskins Sotutu.
Robertson said that the decision to leave them out of the team was a “fine call.”
“A big focus for me and the team, especially the loose forwards at Test level, is to be great at both sides of the ball," Robertson added.
“A lot of the loose forwards can play two-three positions. A lot of them are good around the breakdown, defensive triple actions and in and around the lineout area.
"They’re good leaders. Luke (Jacobson) has been exceptional for the Chiefs this year - his consistency and discipline a majority of the time and performing at the highest level.”
Our first squad of 2024 🖤
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) June 24, 2024
Congratulations to all those named for the first time 🫡#AllBlacks pic.twitter.com/0Kw51kNwPG
The selection of Scott Barrett as captain was something that raised eyebrows with many citing his discipline as a major weakness in his game. He received two yellow cards and one red last year at Test level.
“He’s aware of it, whether he’s captain or not - he’s dealt with a lot of his stuff. He’s a tight forward who will live on the edge. The physicality and brutality of international rugby if you’re slightly wrong, you’re wrong," Robertson said.
“He’s matured, he understands, he’s owned it, he’s done a bit of work on the mental side. You just got to trust someone.”
The 49-year-old coach noted his trust in Barrett as being a key reason for picking him as captain.
“He’s a winner. We’ve had so much success over the years, he knows how to get the team over the line,” he explained.
One player’s selection that was easy was Wallace Sititi - the 21-year-old No. 8 was a standout throughout the Super Rugby Pacific season for the Chiefs.
“He sort of picked himself with those performances - he just rose up. In the quarters, we thought 'Wow! He's exceptionally quick in the lineout,” Robertson said.
“Just his character and how resilient he is. He can just get up, working back behind the ball and (he) volunteers to make tough carries.”
The All Blacks will play England on July 6 and 13, before heading to San Diego to face Fiji on July 20.
Watch the full interview via the SENZ YouTube: