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Live sport on SN this weekend'Simply unforgivable': Why New Zealand must demand more of the All Blacks
Mark Watson • August 24th, 2025 4:11 pm
Scott Robertson and Beauden Barrett after the loss to Argentina | Photo: Enzo Santos/Photosport
29-23, what a moment for a proud nation. What a disastrous performance for the other - it's simply unforgivable.
The All Blacks get beaten 29-23 in one of the worst All Black performances I have seen in my lifetime of watching rugby.
I said this six weeks ago on The Rugby Run, everyone's talking about the Springboks and how New Zealand are going to have to be ready for South Africa. I said do not underestimate Argentina on their turf - after all, they've had the measure of NZ in more recent times.
This is a country where rugby is not their number one sport, it's still a minority sport, their club competition is still amateur.
They don't have a coaching group like the All Blacks do. They don't have an extended backroom staff.
They don't have a Rugby Union who make the priority solely about the national team like we do here in New Zealand.
We've got the best rugby talent in the world and here we lose to Argentina in Argentina.
Discipline: it always seems to come back and bite us. We don't seem to have an ability to learn from week-to-week to make the adjustment.
Scott Barrett: why is this guy the All Blacks captain? He's not even good enough to start. Does he have the ability to change the tactics, pull his players in and demand greater discipline?
Do they do their homework on the referees? Nic Berry, he's going to be a bit pedantic. Get a read on the guy early.
He's pinged you for being offside a couple of times - do you learn from it? No, you don't, you concede another three penalties.
Match referee Nic Berry shows a yellow card to Sevu Reece | Photo: Juan Gasparini/Photosport
You don't even get your hands on the ball, so what do you do when you get eventually have ball in hand? Aimless kicking. Little chip kicks over the top.
Instead, why not hold onto the damn ball, go up through the middle and earn the right to go wide? It's basic, simple, damn rugby.
Is Scott Robertson a myth? That's a text that's come through after full-time from a Sport Nation listener - it's a question I want to pose to you.
I look at forwards coach Jason Ryan, who comes across so damn smug in the media at times, what has this guy done? Where's the smugness come from? We lost four Tests last year.
Is Auckland club rugby in a healthy space? | The Bunnings Trade Rugby Run
What the hell is going on with New Zealand Rugby?
Look at Auckland - we've got 1.7 million people here. Now look at the bottom of the NPC standings at the moment: Auckland, Counties Manukau, North Harbour. Because everyone's playing rugby league it seems. Because NZR, the administration, have been so damn arrogant.
Cortez Ratima? I'm sorry, I'm just not convinced. And it's time for Rieko Ioane and Sevu Reece to go - what do they offer? Bring in guys like Leroy Carter, bring something different in.
New Zealand Rugby makes its money on the brand of the All Blacks, which historically is about performance, precision, and no compromise. We're slowly eroding that now. But don't worry, we're building to the next Rugby World Cup.
I say it all the time - who cares about club rugby? Who cares about the NPC? Then, we've gone and killed Super Rugby in the name of the All Blacks. Rest and rotation, camps during the season, and then the All Blacks start losing.
But hang on a minute - it's what happens in four years that matters. So, we've reduced the game to once every four years?
That performance today in Buenos Aires is not good enough. And if you think I'm being a little irrational, if you're think I'm going off my nut, and I'm a little bit over the top, you're part of the problem because you're starting to accept All Blacks losses.
We should be demanding more. We are supposed to the best rugby nation in the world!
Let's get rid of the New Zealand national anthem and start playing the damn Welsh one, because we're heading down the same path as Wales.
Listen to Mark Watson and former All Black Justin Marshall on The Bunnings Trade Rugby Run, 12-2pm Sundays.
