World Cup-winning coach Sir Graham Henry has advised Scott Robertson to bide his time, after missing out on the All Blacks top job this week.
The former international loose forward was passed over for the NZ head coach role, despite guiding the Crusaders to three successive Super Rugby titles, with NZ Rugby opting to promote previous assistant Ian Foster instead.
Robertson, 45, was clearing biting back his disappointment at Thursday night's NZ Rugby Awards, where he was named National Coach of the Year and the Crusaders won National Team of the Year.
"I've got a few decisions to make," he told Newshub, when quizzed about his future aspirations for the All Blacks post.
But Sir Graham, who sat on the panel that rejected Robertson's bid, has urged him to hang in there, insisting he will eventually fill the role.
"I think he will be the All Blacks coach," he told Radio Sport. "It's just a matter of time.
"He's 45, isn't he? He's just a baby as far as coaches are concerned... very talented, very enthusiastic.
"He's just got to be a bit patient."
Sir Graham began the current 'promote-from-within' All Blacks coaching trend, when he retained the job, despite losing to France in the 2007 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals on one of the worst days of NZ rugby history.
Afterwards, he managed to convince the selection panel that his management team had learnt valuable lessons from the defeat and that faith was vindicated four years later, when Sir Graham masterminded the 2011 World Cup triumph, ironically, over the French in the final.
Assistant coach Steve Hansen was subsequently promoted and became - arguably - the most successful All Blacks coach ever, winning 93 tests at an 86.9 percent rate.
Hansen's assistant has continued that succession plan, but Sir Graham insisted there wasn't a clear favourite between Foster and Robertson at the start of the selection process.
"Both are very talented coaches and I hope 'Razor' hangs in, because he's a very good coach now, obviously," Sir Graham told Radio Sport.
"He's a winner and NZ Rugby need him going forward."
Sir Graham said the All Blacks' semi-final loss to England at this year's World Cup would add an edge to Foster's appointment and urged the new coach to change the programme that had enjoyed such a long period of success.
"If you keep winning, you probably get a wee bit complacent and don't make changes," he said. "Losing to England will add desire, add change."
