Scott Robertson is barred from taking certain jobs after All Blacks sacking

NZ Rugby chairman David Kirk confirmed that Robertson’s contract includes post-employment restrictions limiting where he can work in the short term.

“He has some constraints on who he can work for, and that lasts for a period,” Kirk said.
“There are a number of international countries. Mostly the top-tier one countries for about a year.”

While NZR has not released the full details of the clause, the restriction is understood to prevent Robertson from immediately joining rival Test nations such as England, Ireland, France, South Africa or Australia. However, he remains free to coach at club level or with lower-tier international teams.

Robertson’s exit followed an end-of-season review that assessed on-field performance and the overall direction of the All Blacks programme. Despite a respectable win record during his tenure, inconsistent results against major rivals and concerns around long-term strategy contributed to NZR’s decision to move in a different direction.

The clause is not unusual in elite international sport, particularly where coaches possess deep knowledge of national systems, players and tactical structures. NZR’s intention is believed to be protecting competitive interests as the All Blacks continue building toward the next Rugby World Cup cycle.

Robertson, widely regarded as one of the game’s most innovative coaches following his success at Super Rugby level, is expected to attract strong interest overseas once the restriction period expires.