NZ Rugby chief dismisses claims of Savea-led revolt behind Robertson sacking

Reports on Wednesday claimed the loose forward was weighing up his options and could remain in Kobe beyond the current Japan Rugby League One season or link up with a team in the northern hemisphere, making him ineligible for the All Blacks at the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Savea was said to be "seriously unhappy" with the coaching staff and was considering putting his international career on ice if major changes weren't made.

But Kirk insisted a player revolt against the now former head coach did not take place, though the board and high-performance management did "canvas" around 20 players as they reviewed the side's 2025 season, which played a part in their decision to dismiss Robertson.

"Not every player was canvased, but a large number of players were canvased, close to 20 players were canvased, a little under, and the management, the most senior management and all of the coaches, including the head coach," Kirk told reporters shortly after the decision was made public.

"There was a consistent theme, there was a consistent direction delivered to us, which was what we then followed up on and investigated further.

"There was definitely no revolt. The players were very measured and thoughtful in their responses. It's very unfair to say that Ardie somehow led something, not at all," he added.

"He expressed public opinions. Some of those opinions were not agreed with by other players. Others would have been somewhat aligned with them.

"All of the players are individuals, make their own decisions, and analyse things in ways that are appropriate for them and the team.

"It's a real red herring to think of Ardie having been influential in this decision. He absolutely was not.

"[Savea's] contracted to us until the end of 2027. I would definitely expect to see him in a black jersey."

Asked about a potential replacement for Robertson, Kirk admitted that there was no standout candidate at this stage.

"No one in mind," he said. "It's completely open. We're going to cast the net wide.

"We're going to get as many people as we can. We think that coaching the All Blacks is the greatest rugby coaching role in the world. We are very hopeful we'll see plenty of highly qualified candidates."

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