Daggers are out in New Zealand as Israel smotes NZ Rugby for firing All Blacks coach Robertson

In New Zealand, there is a chorus of growing dissatisfaction with NZ Rugby's handling of their dismissal of All Black coach Scott Robertson earlier this month.

Israel Dagg is the latest former All Black to question the out-of-the-blue sacking of Robertson following a questionnaire that the All Blacks players completed anonymously.

Springbok attack coach Tony Brown, who has been speculatively linked with a future role at the All Blacks, has said, "NZ Rugby definitely set up a process where it is Scott Robertson’s team versus Jamie Joseph’s team."

Jamie Joseph is the frontrunner to replace Robertson, and it is alleged that the process to dismiss Robertson was a smokescreen to get Joseph into the head coach position.

Former All Blacks coach Sir Wayne Smith, who is employed by NZ Rugby as a "Mr Fix It" across all of their national teams, didn't even know what was going on. He said the first he heard of the sacking was when it was publicly announced.

Among the players said to have wielded a dagger in the review was Ardie Savea, the revered winner of the 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year Award.

Dagg, who played fullback in the 2011 World Cup final against France, won by New Zealand at Eden Park, says the NZ Rugby process was flawed.

“It’s crazy. I was actually shocked because it’s never happened before. I knew there was a bit of concern where things weren’t okay,” he told New Zealand radio station Sport Nation. "But first and foremost, you take the rugby out of it, I feel for Razor, and I feel for his family. He’s just lost his job.

“I remember getting dropped, and there was a lot of embarrassment. You keep telling yourself these certain things that are probably not even true.

“Now it’s kind of like, where do we go next? What are we doing?” Dagg asked. “We’re in a bit of a dark place at the moment with everything that’s going on, not only with the All Blacks but rugby in general. The next couple of years are pretty pivotal to get things sorted.”

Dagg said the next few months are crucial for the All Blacks. They open their season in July with home Nations Cup matches against Italy, France, and Ireland before heading to South Africa for the Greatest Rivalry Tour.

“There’s a lot of speculation about the whole review and maybe some player unrest, but it’s really important when there’s an opportunity to go out there and put that jersey on, they put some mana back into it.”