Foster's uncertainty and confusion an alarming aspect of NZR's political stunt
New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, didn’t last long with Mike Hosking.
Ardern once had a weekly interview slot with the radio broadcaster, where he wasn’t famous for his patsy questions.
In fact, Hosking regularly put Ardern on the spot, by asking the things that the man and woman in the street wanted answers to.
Ardern eventually severed the agreement because Hosking wouldn’t allow her to waffle on unchallenged.
Cue All Blacks coach Ian Foster, then, and his cosy in-house chat with The All Blacks Podcast.
This was the rugby equivalent of the Labour Party, which Ardern leads, “interviewing’’ her, replete with pre-prepared questions and regular asides about what a fantastic job she’s doing and how fabulous the Government is.
Among the many ironies of Foster’s fireside chat with The All Blacks Podcast, was his apparent admiration for Hosking.
Oh to get those two men in a radio studio. Foster would be out of there a lot faster than Ardern was.
Steve Hansen remains a very hard act for Foster to follow.
Hansen was a superb communicator. Considered, commanding, challenging: he’d give you five back-page stories in one 15-minute press conference.
Whether it was his team, the opposition, referees, the structure of the season or future opponents, Hansen spoke with clarity and authority. He never missed his intended target and never contradicted himself.
He inspired confidence, not doubt, and you knew that feeling of certainty must be a huge comfort to the players.
The contrast with Foster was always striking, in his days as assistant coach.
He was suspicious of every question and unconvincing in his answers. He saw criticism in everything and could sulk when he felt journalists weren’t accentuating the positives.
You never walked away from one of his press conferences feeling any the wiser for the experience.
So it was interesting for the rugby public to get a taste of that this week. To hear Foster, who’d been thoroughly briefed on what he’d be asked, battle his way through The All Blacks Podcast.
If I took anything away from the hour of audio, it was Foster’s uncertainty and confusion.
Take that old chestnut of line speed.
Foster admitted rush defences have flummoxed he and the All Blacks for five or six years now. That they are probably aware of the best mechanism to combat it, but refuse to use it because it doesn’t suit the team’s DNA.
Well, losing’s never really been in the All Blacks’ nature either, but never mind.
Rightly or wrongly, we expect decisive men to be in charge of the All Blacks. Men with all the answers, men who are never surprised by opposition tactics and men who are always that one step ahead.
I defy anyone to listen to that podcast and tell me Foster is any of those things.
But that’s not his fault. He neither appointed, nor re-appointed himself. That’s on New Zealand Rugby (NZR).
But you have to chuckle.
Here’s NZR – as much a political party as Labour, National and the rest – putting their leader out on show. Giving him an opportunity to win hearts and minds and to inspire confidence ahead of the upcoming series against Ireland.
No curly questions, no live audience. Just a carefully choreographed and stage-managed production that still couldn’t portray Foster in a favourable light.
None of us know what Ardern’s like in cabinet meetings, just as we’ll never know how Foster goes on the training paddock or in team meeting rooms. We have to judge them on their public utterances and appearances.
Don’t know about you, but I’ve already chucked a cheeky 20 bucks on Ireland.
Comments on RugbyPass
Like others, I am not seeing the connection between this edition of the Crusaders and the All Blacks future prospects under Razor. I think the analysis of the Crusaders attack recently is helpful because Razor and his coaching team used to be able to slot new guys in to their systems and see them succeed. Several of Razor’s coaches are still there so it would be surprising if the current attack and set piece has been overhauled to a great extent - but based on that analysis, it may have been. Whether it is too many new guys due to injuries or retirement or a failure of current Crusaders systems is the main question to be answered imo. It doesn’t seem relevant for the ABs.
3 Go to commentsharry potter is set in stone. he creates stability and finishes well. exactly what schmidt likes. he’s the ben smith of australian rugby. i think it could quite easily be potter toole and kellaway for the foreseeable future.
5 Go to commentsThis is short sighted from Clayton if you ask me, smacks of too much preseason planning and no adaptability. What if DMac is out for a must win match, are they still only going to bring their best first five and playmaker on late in the game? Trusting the game to someone who wasn’t even part of planning (they would have had Trask pinned in as Jacomb preseason). Perhaps if the Crusaders were better they would not have done this, but either way imo you take this opportunity to play a guy you might need starting in a final rather than having their 12th game getting comfortable coming off the bench.
1 Go to commentsThanks 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.
21 Go to commentsWhat a load of bollocks. The author has forgotten to mention the fact that the Crusaders have a huge injury toll with top world class players out. Not to mention the fact that they are obviously in a transition period. No this will not spark a slow death for NZ rugby, but it does mean there will be a new Super Rugby champion. Anyone who knows anything about NZ rugby knows that there is some serious talent here, it just isn’t all at the Crusaders.
3 Go to commentsI wouldn’t spend the time on Nawaqanitawase! No point in having him filling in a jersey when he’s committed to leave Union. Give the jersey to a young prospect who will be here in the future.
5 Go to commentsIt was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
7 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to comments