Sir Steve Hansen’s advice to Scott Robertson as new All Blacks head coach prepares for ‘constant pressure’

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Legendary All Blacks coach Sir Steve Hansen has urged new boss Scott Robertson to “embrace” the job and the pressure that comes with it.

The Crusaders great will take charge of his first game when New Zealand face England in Dunedin next weekend.

Robertson revealed his first squad on Monday and has already seen the scrutiny the main man gets having received some criticism for his selections.

Hansen, despite winning the Rugby World Cup as New Zealand’s head coach in 2015, understands that all too well.

Appearing on The Times’ The Ruck podcast alongside the most recent All Blacks boss Ian Foster, the 65-year-old had some advice for Robertson.

‘Constant pressure’

“If you go into it and don’t expect to be scrutinised, you’re naive. It’s a job that comes with constant pressure all the time because of that scrutiny,” he said.

“If you’re lucky enough to get success then you tend to get a little more wriggle room. Even though you might be winning, they want you to win better.

“It’s something that we accept as the norm because if you’ve got people externally wanting you to achieve these things, internally your motivation’s even stronger.”

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Robertson knows the mystique and the importance of the All Blacks having earned 23 caps as a player, which should ultimately help in the coaching role.

“You’ve just got to embrace it, be yourself. You can’t talk about a legacy if you don’t understand it, you don’t know it,” Hansen said.

“Do your research and make sure that you understand the past so you can be part of the future, and help shape the future.

“I think there’s a real excitement in being able to do that as a coach and player, and getting your players to understand that whether they play one Test or 148, there’s going to be a story told about your time in the jersey.

“It’s a privilege to put it on once, twice, every time you put it on, it’s just a privilege, but it’s also an opportunity to really express yourself, your story and have it told in a positive manner, and that’s about your preparation.

“If you go into something half prepared, you don’t put in the performance that you’re capable of, so your Sunday to Friday work is the most important time of the week, and that allows Saturday to be the fun part.”

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Pressure is a privilege

“Pressure” was a key watchword for Hansen, who states that the job “becomes a little easier” once the person in the hotseat understands the responsibility of the position.

“Every day was a privilege, it’s not a throwaway line. To be able to coach rugby in New Zealand and the national team in New Zealand, it’s the highest thing you could do from a rugby point of view,” he added.

“You’re dealing with a lot of talented people, not just athletes but your staff are all very, very good at what they do.

“It’s just an enjoyable time and I think if you accept the pressure is going to be there and then work out how you’re going to deal with it before it actually hits you in the face, it actually becomes a little easier to do.”

Like Hansen, Foster understands the scrutiny that being All Blacks boss entails. He received heavy criticism throughout his tenure, but they still managed to win four successive Rugby Championships titles and reach a Rugby World Cup final.

“There’s no doubt there’s a massive privilege. What Steve said, I get that and you feel it. I think the privilege is based on, yes you’re coaching your country but, inside the walls, the more you learn about the legacy of the All Blacks,” the 2023 World Cup runner-up said.

“Often the pressure comes from when you think about the past and you hear all the stories, and you think of the people that have walked that path before you.

“There is a greater pressure to not feel like you want to let them down. You want to leave the jersey in a good space for the next people, so that brings its own degree of pressure.

“That’s all part of it. You’ve got to enjoy it rather than being weighed down by it because it can get heavy if you let it.”