BBC Sport
Former All Blacks’ head coach Scott Robertson. [Photo: FILE]
Former All Blacks’ head coach Scott Robertson will make a swift return to top-level rugby after being named head coach of the Barbarians for their blockbuster northern hemisphere tour this June.
Robertson, whose two-year tenure with the All Blacks ended in January, will lead the invitational side against world champions South Africa in Port Elizabeth on 20 June, before facing Wales at Twickenham Stadium on 27 June.
“The Barbarians brings the rugby world together, so it’s special to be a part of it and to honour the jersey,”
The 51-year-old remains one of the most sought-after coaches in world rugby. He won seven straight Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders between 2017 and 2023 and has previously coached the Barbarians on four occasions.
New Zealand Rugby included a non-compete clause in Robertson’s exit package, preventing him from taking charge of a top-tier Test rival until early 2027. However, overseas reports suggest he could join another international side sooner if that nation completes its 2026 fixtures against New Zealand.
Robertson has previously declared his ambition to win the Rugby World Cup with both New Zealand and another country — a goal that keeps his long-term future firmly in the spotlight.
He will be joined in the Barbarians set-up by Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi for the June fixtures.
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