1
Kiwi coach labels Ian Foster as 'best' head coach he's worked with
All Blacks assistant coach John Plumtree has labelled All Blacks boss Ian Foster as the “best” head coach he has ever worked with.
ADVERTISEMENT
Speaking to media ahead of his side’s clash against Ireland in Dublin this weekend, Plumtree said Foster tops the list of all the head coaches he has worked with throughout his professional coaching career, which has spanned more than two decades.
Since moving into coaching after retiring as a player in 1997, Plumtree has held various roles all over the world, with his first stint coming in Wales as head coach of Welsh Premiership club Swansea.
He has also worked as head coach of Wellington in the NPC, was a head and assistant coach at both the Sharks and Hurricanes in the Currie Cup and Super Rugby, and served as an assistant for Ireland and Japan before taking on his current position with the All Blacks.
In his jobs as an assistant coach, Plumtree has worked alongside esteemed head coaches such as Joe Schmidt at Ireland, Jamie Joseph at Japan, Chris Boyd at the Hurricanes and Dick Muir at the Sharks.
However, he said on Wednesday [NZT] that Foster stands as the best head coach he has ever worked with due to the culture he has cultivated at the All Blacks.
“The management, the coaches, all the players really enjoy his leadership,” Plumtree said from the Irish capital when asked of what it was like to work alongside Foster.
ADVERTISEMENT
“He’s just the right blend, for me, and I’ve worked with some good head coaches, but he’s, for me, the best.
“He challenges us in the right areas, he keeps us really motivated, he’s got a nice balance between switch on, switch off, and he encourages us to follow that lead because some coaches, like me, are pretty intense and just want to work all the time and talk footy all the time.
“So, he’s been good for me, personally, and I’ve learned heaps under him.”
Plumtree added the playing group have bought into Foster’s style of leadership, which he said enables all members of the squad to feel valued and equal with one another.
“I know that the leaders are loving the fact that, under Fozzy, they get a say and they’re heard and the leaders are a big part of running this All Blacks team.
The All Blacks have been challenged to produce a vastly improved performance against Ireland this weekend after disappointing itself against Italy. #AllBlacks #IREvNZL #AutumnNationsSeries https://t.co/GJXHzaT6Jp
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 10, 2021
ADVERTISEMENT
“The big thing, I think, is everyone understands that they’re valued in this squad, and there’s no hierarchy, everyone enjoys it, and we’ve created an environment and culture with this current group that I think everyone’s enjoying.”
Plumtree was hired by Foster as a forwards coach and selector after Sir Steve Hansen’s departure from the head coach role following New Zealand’s semi-final exit from the 2019 World Cup.
They and the rest of the All Blacks’ coaching staff – comprised of defence coach Scott McLeod, attack coach Brad Mooar, scrum coach Greg Feek and selector Grant Fox – have won two Bledisloe Cups, a Tri Nations and a Rugby Championship since taking charge of the team last year.
The All Blacks also retained the Freedom Cup earlier this year and currently have a win rate of 78.9 percent with 15 wins, a draw and three losses against the Wallabies, Los Pumas and Springboks from 19 tests under Foster’s reign.
In August, Foster signed a two-year contract extension with New Zealand Rugby in a deal that will keep him in charge of the All Blacks until the 2023 World Cup in France.
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to comments