All Blacks coach Ian Foster is one step away from becoming an all-time great

A year is a mighty long time in rugby. About 53 weeks ago, fans were just about ready to storm New Zealand Rugby Headquarters with pitchforks and torches after the All Blacks’ fifth loss in six Tests.

The All Blacks were beaten, convincingly, by Ireland and France during their end-of-season tour in 2021, were beaten by Ireland again on home soil, and had just lost to fierce rivals South Africa.

Panic started to kick in as fans began to desperately search for the answer. But time waits for no man.

The countdown to the 2023 Rugby World Cup continued to tick by, and the All Blacks’ uncharacteristically poor form continued to trouble fans from a rugby-mad nation.

New Zealanders expect nothing short of excellence from their rugby heroes, and things couldn’t have gone further off-script. Fans made their voices heard on social media as they began to call for change.

By all accounts, coach Ian Foster was on the brink of being sacked when the All Blacks travelled to Johannesburg.

With the Freedom Cup on the line, the New Zealanders braced themselves for a rugby war at the cauldron that is Ellis Park. It was a must-win, and that’s putting it lightly.

It was a gladiatorial contest, as it always is between these two great rivals, and the All Blacks emerged victorious. Players were surely filled with a sense of pride, but mostly relief.

After returning home, the New Zealand Rugby Board confirmed that Foster’s job was safe through to the end of the World Cup. That press conference was held almost a year ago at the time of writing.

“We’re very excited about the potential of this incredibly capable and experienced coaching trio going forward,” NZR chair Stewart Mitchel told reporters on August 17.

Many fans weren’t pleased. They wanted Scott ‘Razor’ Robertson at the helm – and while they would eventually get their wish from 2024, Foster would continue to prepare the All Blacks for battle.

But those same supporters are now singing Ian Foster’s praises.

Foster, along with assistant coaches Jason Ryan and Joe Schmidt, have turned the All Blacks’ ship around after sailing through dire conditions.

The All Blacks are on an 11-Test unbeaten run, and are now the bookies’ favourites to win the Rugby World Cup. That’s what Foster needs to cement his legacy as an all-time great – no matter how unlikely that might’ve seemed last year.

Foster has collected trophy after trophy like Thanos going after the infinity stones. The coach has achieved near-unrivalled feats – and to be blunt, others must give credit where it’s due.

With Foster at the helm, the All Blacks have won four Bledisloe Cups, four Freedom Cups, three Rugby Championship crowns and a Tri Nations title as well.

That’s a 100 per cent success rate, in terms of winning major trophies, over a decorated three-and-a-half-year tenure as head coach.

While assistants Ryan and Schmidt have received widespread praise for helping solve the All Blacks’ woes, Foster won most of those trophies without the all-star duo.

Foster has never really received the praise or appreciation that he so justifiably deserves.

But that’s not quite the full story. More history beckons.

Foster can join former mentor Sir Steve Hansen as the only other person to win a World Cup title as an assistant coach, before hoisting the Webb Ellis Cup again in their first attempt as head coach.

If Foster is able to etch his name into rugby immortality with such an incredible achievement, then the losses of years gone by will be practically forgotten.

The defeats to France and Ireland – which includes a series defeat to Andy Farrell’s men on home soil, it’s worth noting – will be regarded as pivotal turning points and lessons learned.

Much like South Africa’s 57-nil loss to New Zealand in 2017, with the Springboks going on to win the World Cup two years later, these shortcomings will be forgiven.

Nobody likes to lose, especially the All Blacks and their fans, but sometimes it’s a necessity. As the old adage goes, “You learn more from losing than winning.”

If the All Blacks claim eternal glory in France later this year, then Foster will have officially become one of the greats – much like Sir Steve Hansen and Sir Graham Henry.

With his World Cup winners medal draped around his neck, Foster will hand over the reins to incoming coach Scott Robertson on the way to his knighting ceremony next January.