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'Highly unlikely that I will be': Foster makes startling prediction over his All Blacks future
All Blacks head coach Ian Foster has weighed in on supposed timelines for the appointment of the All Blacks coaching job for 2024 and beyond and made a frank prediction about his future.
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As discussion over the coaching job intensifies, the current All Black head coach has jumped into the debate twice firstly in an interview with NZME where he expressed frustration over reports and now a telling radio interview with Newstalk ZB.
Foster even went as far as saying it would be ‘highly unlikely’ for him to hold the position next year having been contracted until the end of 2023, sensing a ‘mood for change’ within the upper ranks of NZR.
“I’m sure they’ve [NZR] got a clear idea,” Foster told Newstalk ZB. .
“That’s up to them to voice that. It does seem to be reasonably obvious, there was an interview with a coach last week that made it look like there were already plans to go early and it was frustrating to hear that from another voice.
“Either way, it seems like there’s a mood for change and I get that, but it doesn’t change the fact that this All Black team, we’ve got a big prize to win at the end of this year. There’s expectation from the public and we want everyone to get in behind us. We want to unify this country behind a team in black.”
“I’m looking at the energy and debate going on here and it’s about individuals, it’s about what suits people regarding timing and quite frankly I don’t know if going early or late is going to suit me either way.
“I think it’s pretty highly unlikely that I will be in this job next year but I keep getting asked about whether I’m going to apply.
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“I think that’s not the big question for me, the big question is what’s the best thing for the All Blacks in 2023.”
The current head coach has been left frustrated by reports that the new coaching team would be put in place by April for 2024, before the All Blacks even play a test in 2023 as they prepare for the Rugby World Cup.
Foster indicated that certain staffers would then be given an indication of where they stand under the new regime.
“And I have sat back and looked at a whole lot of views that have been put out there,” Foster told NZME.
“Some have been frustrating to hear and a particular frustration is that there seems to be a focus on setting timetables based on what some preferred candidates feel is right for them versus potentially what is right for this All Blacks team.
“We have got players pushing to be in the right shape, and then to say to some of these people – in April/May – maybe time is up, for some that will be okay and for others it might not, but that is the gamble.
“I think you weigh up the pros and cons of that and I think it is unnecessary.”
Foster’s turbulent time as All Blacks head coach started in 2020 when the All Blacks won three of six tests, including a historic first ever loss to Argentina in Sydney.
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After a 3-0 sweep of the Wallabies in 2021, the All Blacks stumbled on the end of year tour with a loss to the Springboks in the final Rugby Championship game before losing the two biggest tests of the year to Ireland and France.
In 2022 the losses kept coming with a historic 2-1 series loss to Ireland in July followed by an away loss to South Africa in Mbombela and a home loss to Argentina, before going on a run of six straight test wins before drawing with England.
Foster said the team is desperate to earn respect back by bringing the World Cup back to New Zealand later this year, which if successful, the .
“My job is to focus on what is right for the team. I love this job and I have got a highly motivated coaching group and management team that are working hard, doing everything we can to make this country proud in France,” he said.
“We know we have to earn everyone’s respect. And we want to do that – bring the World Cup home – and if we do, I want to be able to stand up, and I’d like the opportunity to say that maybe I would like to have another crack at this job.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
69 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments