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All Blacks boss Ian Foster breaks silence as coaching changes loom on horizon

By Alex McLeod
(Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Under-fire All Blacks head coach Ian Foster has broken his silence nearly a week after leading his side to a historic home series defeat to Ireland.

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Foster and the All Blacks have been the subjects of intense criticism after falling to their maiden series loss at the hands of the Irish – their first home series defeat since 1994.

Having lost four of their last five tests, the All Blacks are now in a worst-ever World Rugby ranking of fourth, leading to week-long speculation about Foster’s future at the helm of the national side.

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However, the man in question has been retained by New Zealand Rugby [NZR] following “robust” conversations with chief executive Mark Robinson, who last Sunday described the All Blacks’ recent results as “not acceptable”.

Despite that, Foster has kept his post as All Blacks head coach, and fronted media after an extremely turbulent week since last Saturday’s groundbreaking defeat in Wellington.

Conceding that the All Blacks fell well short of the mark against Ireland, Foster acknowledged the frustrations of the New Zealand public in light of his side’s recent results.

Those frustrations fuelled calls for not only Foster to be axed by NZR, but also his assistant coaches John Plumtree, Brad Mooar, Scott McLeod and Greg Feek.

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While Foster has remained, he admitted changes will be made “very soon”, although the head coach was tight-lipped about what those exact alterations will be as work continues to be undertaken in that respect behind closed doors.

Instead, Foster vowed to make New Zealand fans proud when the All Blacks open their Rugby Championship campaign with two tests against the Springboks in South Africa early next month.

“We never are happy when we don’t achieve what we want to achieve,” Foster said shortly after the announcement of his 36-man squad for the Rugby Championship.

“We understand the fans aren’t happy with that, but you have a promise that we are looking forward to getting stuck into our work when we get together, to go and play in this Rugby Championship, and in South Africa, a game of rugby that New Zealanders can be proud of and this team.”

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“I’ve also heard that there does need to be some change, and for us to achieve that. Right now, I am working behind the scenes to achieve that.

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“You can ask me a hundred times what that is and I won’t be able to give you that answer just yet.

“I’d like you to bear with me, but we’ve got things in place right now, and as soon as I can let you know a couple of changes, I will let you know as soon as possible.

“Like I said, this All Black team is very proud. We’re very proud of playing for this country.

“We know that we didn’t get what we needed again out of the Steinlager Series, and I know what our country should expect of this team is that we go away, we identify the key focuses, and we go ahead and fix it and we play at the level that we want to play to.

“We’d love you to be proud of us, and we want to make sure we do everything can to do that.”

Foster added that while the unsuccessful series forced him to reflect on his role as All Blacks head coach, he never considered walking away from the job.

“As a head coach, there’s been a lot of questions that last couple of weeks. Let me tell you who I am. I’m strong. I’m resilient. I think I’ve proven that,” he said.

“I believe I’ve got a great feel and relationship with my players, I’m strategic and I’m also accountable, and I take that on board.

“I promise you I understand that, and I’m really excited about the chance to show you what this team is made of working alongside the players in this squad.”

Foster revealed that the new squad – which features minimal changes from the team that faced Ireland – was selected by himself, Plumtree and new selector Joe Schmidt, who has begun full-time work with the All Blacks as Grant Fox’s successor.

Plumtree’s contribution as a squad selector is a strong indication that he will survive the incoming changes to the national coaching group that Foster alluded to.

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No change will be made to Schmidt’s role as All Blacks selector, though, as Foster dispelled any rumours that the former Ireland boss will assume a more prominent role within the backroom staff.

“Joe Schmidt is now officially joined us in his role. There’s lots of talk about Joe’s role, but Joe’s role is as was flagged six months ago,” Foster said.

“He’s come in as an independent selector. He also has a secondary role of being an opposition analysis for me, like an opposition head coach, and he is working with me behind the scenes on the strategic areas that we feel we need to move.

“Excited to have him on board. He’s not travelling with us [to South Africa], so we’re clear, and – at this stage – hasn’t got an on-the-field role, but he is working hard with me, particularly, on the strategic area of our game.”

Among the major talking points of the new squad announcement is the retention of Sam Cane as All Blacks captain, a decision made in spite of media reports which stated he was in line to lose that title.

Nevertheless, Cane has the Foster’s full support to continue his role as leader of the All Blacks and drive the national side to improved results and performances.

“I believe in him. I believe in him as a person, as a leader,” Foster said of Cane.

“I think the easiest thing to do when a series doesn’t go your way is to point the finger and blame and want people’s neck.

“I’ve got a lot faith in Sam as a player and as a person, and in the leadership group around him.

“That same group that we are talking about has been part of the same conversations we’ve had, and we all know that there’s a high degree of accountability when we put on an All Blacks jersey, and we need to be better.”

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J
Jon 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 4 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

15 Go to comments
A
Adrian 6 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 9 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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