Former All Blacks and Crusaders coach Scott Robertson has been offered a four-year contract to become the inaugural head coach of the Southern Orcas should the South Island expansion bid successfully secure an NRL license.
Despite the Southern Orcas yet to be formally confirmed as an NRL club, president Sir Graham Lowe is already planning for the future, with Robertson emerging as a major target to lead the franchise from its proposed inaugural season in 2029.
Robertson, commonly known as 'Razor', departed his position as All Blacks head coach earlier this year following an end-of-season review, bringing an early end to his initial four-year contract after just two seasons in charge.
At the time, Robertson admitted he was "gutted" by the decision.
His departure came after New Zealand finished second to South Africa in both the 2024 and 2025 Rugby Championships.
Despite recent struggles, Robertson boasts an impressive coaching record, particularly during his time in charge of the Crusaders between 2017 and 2023.
Robertson guided the Christchurch-based side to a championship in every season during his tenure, with the COVID-19-affected years resulting in regional titles rather than the usual Super Rugby competition.
Now, Robertson could make the unlikely switch from rugby union to rugby league, with Lowe confirming the Orcas have already tabled a four-year offer.
“We've offered Scott a four-year contract to be a head coach, and so it's with him and his management, and they're considering it at the moment. Obviously, it's all conditional on us getting the licence, but that's where it's at at the moment,” Lowe told the NZ Herald.
The potential appointment would represent a significant gamble given Robertson has never coached rugby league at professional level, although Lowe believes his understanding of the code makes him a viable candidate.
“We're well aware that he's not coached rugby league before, but he's certainly got a good handle on rugby league and has been looking at it closely and studying it closely for a long time; that's quite obvious," Lowe continued.
“We'll have experienced assistants around him. We think it'll be a great coup for us.
“I think it shows the open-mindedness that we have of the club, you know, the vision and the passion and also the ambition that we've got. He won't compromise his principles to fit in with mediocrity, and that fits right in with the philosophy that we have going forward and the ambitions we have."
Robertson's appointment would also form part of the Orcas' broader vision to tap into New Zealand's rugby union talent pool and help create a greater crossover between the two codes.
“There's a heck of a lot of talent in New Zealand, and they're not all playing rugby league. There's a heck of a lot of young talent currently involved in rugby union that would easily make the transition to rugby league, and I think you see that on a regular basis in the NRL now."
The move would be left-field, but could also provide the Orcas with a high-profile figure capable of helping bridge the gap between rugby union and rugby league in the South Island.
With the Crusaders being the most successful team in the Super Rugby Championship and the All Black still achieving two second-place finishes under him, Robertson would arrive with an enormous coaching pedigree if he makes the switch.
The Orcas are now hoping that pedigree can translate into rugby league success should their bid to enter the NRL from 2029 be approved.
