Scott Robertson made to wait after Ian Foster has contract extended

Scott Robertson’s dream of coaching the All Blacks remains at the end of a rainbow.

While NZ Rugby was explaining its decision to extend All Blacks coach Ian Foster’s contract through to the 2023 World Cup in France, Robertson’s supporters had to, again, take a deep breath and accept defeat.

Robertson missed out to Foster when the pair interviewed for the top job in late 2019, following Sir Steve Hansen’s departure after the World Cup in Japan.

Foster was offered a two-year contract. Robertson returned to the Crusaders, and this year re-signed a fresh deal that runs through to 2024 with the option of a release a year earlier.

If Robertson hoped NZ Rugby would make the All Blacks’ job contestable midway through the World Cup cycle, he was to be disappointed.

On Tuesday NZ Rugby officially snuffed out those hopes. Robertson couldn’t be reached for comment.

Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge said his organisation had a Plan B in case Robertson got the All Blacks job, but that file remains now untouched at the franchise's headquarters in Christchurch.

“I won’t speak for Razor but I suspect he is probably going to give Fozzie all the support he deserves,’’ Mansbridge said.

“But he loves this place and we love him. It is good for us.’’

Mansbridge acknowledged losing Robertson, who has won five titles since joining the Crusaders in 2017, would have been disruptive but was confident they could have worked through that if that had transpired.

Now there is no need to hunt for a replacement.