Mils Muliaina says the All Blacks have a great team but something just isn鈥檛 clicking after their defeat to England on Sunday, the seventh under coach Scott Robertson.
The All Blacks great and Sky Sports analyst was asked by Herald NOW host Ryan Bridge whether it was time to part ways with Robertson, to which Muliaina said no, but is wary that time is running out before the next World Cup.
鈥淣ot yet. There鈥檚 a bit of leeway at the moment. But we鈥檝e got some big test matches next year, the Rugby World Cup is not too far away. A big South African tour next year and so you鈥檝e got to get to a point where if they鈥檙e not producing results then perhaps...that job is brutal,鈥 he said.
鈥淗e lost four tests last year, three now. But it鈥檚 probably the way we鈥檝e lost. Nineteen of those guys in this squad were featured in the Rugby World Cup two years ago. So he hasn鈥檛 got an inexperienced side. He鈥檚 got a side that seems like they鈥檙e not really on the same page, particularly in key moments of the game. They came out of the break, they looked really fatigued and when they鈥檙e put under pressure they haven鈥檛 really responded - that鈥檚 when teams have been able to leak points.鈥
Muliaina believes the All Blacks have the players but something isn鈥檛 clicking after a third loss in 2025.
鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to jump the gun right now and that鈥檚 the expectation we should have 鈥 and we have over the years with All Blacks coaches. We鈥檝e got a great team. There鈥檚 no doubt in my mind that we鈥檝e got the players to be able to it. It鈥檚 whatever is going on in the camp. They鈥檙e not quite connecting. Not quite understanding what to do when they are winning big moments and keeping the momentum going, but also when they鈥檙e really under pressure. They鈥檙e heavily resourced in terms of their mental side...there鈥檚 just something that鈥檚 not clicking.
鈥淭ypically, All Blacks you don鈥檛 let off, you don鈥檛 give moments back to opposition teams because they punish you and that鈥檚 exactly what happened over the weekend.鈥
Muliaina added that he felt hooker Codie Taylor was harshly sent to the bin early in the second half which sparked a 14-point third quarter for the English.
鈥淭o be fair, that yellow card probably shouldn鈥檛 have been a yellow card. They came out at the break and that certainly didn鈥檛 help. That was the first penalty the All Blacks conceded...not the right decision. But again, discipline did play a big part. I think coming out of the break has been a big factor for the All Blacks 鈥 we saw against the Springboks. Stuff that we鈥檝e seen and hasn鈥檛 really been fixed.鈥
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