Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

A two-year contract for Ian Foster keeps the door ajar for Warren Gatland

By Josh Raisey
Ian Foster and Warren Gatland shake hands prior to the World Cup bronze final between New Zealand and Wales. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

After weeks of anticipation, Ian Foster was confirmed on Wednesday as the man to succeed Steve Hansen as All Blacks head coach.

ADVERTISEMENT

In a two-horse race with Crusaders coach Scott Robertson, New Zealand Rugby opted to appoint from within, as Foster had been Hansen’s assistant for the past eight years. Hansen himself worked under Graham Henry, and took over after the 2011 Rugby World Cup triumph.

Having won the past three Super Rugby titles, Robertson looked to be the favourite to land the prized job, and there have been plenty of surprised faces at the decision.

However, one thing that some have picked up on is the length of Foster’s contract only being two years. This has led to some speculation, particularly regarding incoming Chiefs head coach Warren Gatland.

Continue reading below…

Video Spacer

The former Waikato hooker has returned to New Zealand to coach after twelve years in charge of Wales. However, he is to take charge of his third British and Irish Lions tour in 2021 against the world champions South Africa. This is a commitment that he would not back out of, which therefore ruled him out of the All Blacks job.

While Gatland will still be with the Chiefs when 2021 rolls around, his time with the Lions will be over, and that is conveniently the point when Foster’s contract expires. This obviously provides an opportunity for Gatland to take over the All Blacks for the two years leading up to the 2023 RWC in France.

ADVERTISEMENT

Of course, this would be dependent on the success that Foster has as a coach, as it would be nonsensical to replace him if he looks to be the right man for the job, but it looks like NZR are covering all bases here.

All that being said, Foster’s contract mirrors what Steve Hansen signed on for when he came on board in 2012. Hansen was originally contracted until the end of 2013 but extended his contract after a successful start to his tenure.

Although some have described the 54-year-old as a stop-gap, it is more than likely that he will be a successful head coach, particularly as he has been part of the All Blacks during a golden era, and therefore can provide a seamless transition from Hansen’s spell and maintain many of his successful structures. However, this does mean the door is not shut on Gatland either.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Chasing The Sun | Series 1 Episode 1

Fresh Starts | Episode 1 | Will Skelton

ABBIE WARD: A BUMP IN THE ROAD

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 9

James Cook | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

New Zealand victorious in TENSE final | Cathay/HSBC Sevens Day Three Men's Highlights

New Zealand crowned BACK-TO-BACK champions | Cathay/HSBC Sevens Day Three Women's Highlights

Japan Rugby League One | Bravelupus v Steelers | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
Sam T 2 hours ago
Jake White: Let me clear up some things

I remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.

3 Go to comments
E
Ed the Duck 9 hours ago
How Leinster neutralised 'long-in-the-tooth' La Rochelle

Hey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂

5 Go to comments
FEATURE
FEATURE Taine Plumtree: 'I couldn't blame them for saying 'Who the hell is this guy?' Taine Plumtree: 'I couldn't blame them for saying 'Who the hell is this guy?'
Search