Scott Robertson: ABs can make it 2/2 against the French on Saturday

Caleb Clarke as a power wing could be the tool that puts the ABs over France again, despite an underwhelming season.

Head Coach Scott Robertson says he believes in the eye-test of what he sees, rather than what the stats say.

He says it's about trusting players to step up, and for great players to stay consistent.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Right now though. This weekend the All Blacks the Big Test,
so the team has been named for the second Test
against France. There have been three changes. You'll know about
those from the news. Already, New Zealand is up one
nill in the series after a surprisingly narrow win Indoned
on Saturday. I must say Scott Robinson is the All
Blacks head coach and he's with me now. Hi, raiser Ryan,

(00:23):
Good afternoon. How are you doing. How are you feeling
about this weekend?

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Yeah? Looking forward to me, it's good. Have always been
the capitol, you know, it's good to get in front
of you to sold out stadium. We're at in the
hut at the moment with oppreparations in Indie CS and
we're moving into town this afternoon. So look, Test weeks
are pretty special and it's going to be here and

(00:50):
we're looking better.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
Yeah. You got the win on Saturday obviously, but it
was close. Have you got a bit of work to do?

Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yeah, You've always got work to do. I think it's
the same world part about myself with group. You know,
our dog with used to make us better and helping
me improve in the series. We can't prove on and
look the game's pretty complicated. There's some decisions that then
go your way. But how do you react to that
was the key and we could have got frustrated on

(01:19):
so they not. We were calm and clear and got
the result and be beautiful.

Speaker 1 (01:24):
Why bring Caleb Clark into the starting side? What have
you seen from him?

Speaker 2 (01:29):
Keleb's kellyps is he's a peal when yeah, he's great yearly.
We performed really well for us last year, so this
is his opportunity.

Speaker 1 (01:40):
Do you think he's up to Well, obviously you do
because you put him in there.

Speaker 2 (01:44):
That's why we picked him. Mate.

Speaker 1 (01:46):
But I mean he didn't have a great Super Rugby
season as you know. But well I'm told he didn't.
The score and he tries all Super Rugby season.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah, look worth to change it, won't we? It's it's
important you trust players and give them opportunities and that's
this weekend, you know, set them up to be ready
and back themselves.

Speaker 1 (02:08):
How much of those calls for you as a coach
are about stats and how much are about your relationships
and your gut feeling about people.

Speaker 2 (02:17):
It's all of that. You know, your auc human decisions
are very similar like that aren't they You sort of
get that your gut feeling is backed up by stats
and then you know, here's for year before or not
or where they act and is there any things that
are going on that you can help with? So you
consider them all. I mean, you're just going to back

(02:38):
it and there's a not to it sometimes and you
always going to add someone to chat to the just
to make sure that you've seen all angles and get
the point of view across.

Speaker 1 (02:49):
Now you've got Tay debuting. Is he a winger? Is
he a midfield? Is he both?

Speaker 2 (02:57):
Is your hooker? No? No, Jackie, he could be a
seven two. Look, he's the great thing about Jimmy de
Barus we call him the more say he's he's been
really consistent all year, awesome defender, go to the breakdown
and the powerful book career. So he gives you something

(03:20):
pretty special and you know his craft this year and
he's Billy the Captain the Highlanders and makes him, you know,
some great moments for him. He's got him a chance
to play test for New Zealand. So it's a great
story and of great performances.

Speaker 1 (03:38):
Hey, how's a Scott Barrett doing? Any idea when he'll
be back.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yes, Scott, we'll an outst early next week. Scans are
still permitting the howbells, but he's obviously out for these
first two tests. So look, yeah, I can't give you
a different as of answer, but it will be a
few weeks.

Speaker 1 (03:57):
Here, a couple of weeks and then hopefully it'll be
it's not it's not the end of days.

Speaker 2 (04:04):
No, it's not. No, it's not quite the season and stuff.
You know, like she's she's a carpentery and they can
be negli. So we'll make sure he's one hundred percent.
You keep it a good thing about him. We can
get under a beach press now and clear as wine
is freshing up and come back for the ship.

Speaker 1 (04:21):
Hey, France have apparently given Hamilton a bit of a snub.
They are staying in Auckland for most of next week
because they prefer the hotels and the training facilities and
stuff like that. You guys ever had any issues with
facilities training in Hamilton.

Speaker 2 (04:37):
Look, mate, we're a big friends of the tron. We
you know we're in. We're in for the week. We've
got good training ground. That's that's really important to us.
It's we get better. Obviously, we're good training ground and
the hospitality is pretty special. You've at Chief Boys and
the team. They're looking forward to going home and seeing
their families at night. The od there and you know

(05:01):
we'll connect with the local Alfano and the off in
a while will be good.

Speaker 1 (05:06):
Yeah. Get a home cooked meal. That always helpsu, isn't it.
That's right, that's Scott Raiser Robinson. Thanks for being on
the show. Scott Scott Robinson, all Black's head coach. For
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