Was a partnership between Ian Foster and Scott Robertson on the cards for the All Blacks?
The race to be the next coach of international rugby’s most successful team came to somewhat of an anticlimactic end on Wednesday, with Ian Foster anointed as the new top dog.
Foster beat out Scott Robertson, who has coached the Crusaders to three successive Super Rugby championships.
Foster, who has spent the last eight years as Steve Hansen’s right-hand man, has been viewed as a relatively safe pair of hands; he’s a man who has spent ample time on the international scene honing his trade and is unlikely to make any radical changes.
Still, Foster has promised that it won’t just be more of the same.
“It’s been eight years with the All Blacks, I’ve learned a lot. But I need to take my own ideas,” the former Chiefs coach said.
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“Now is the time for me to show what I have. That I’m innovative and to show that we have that mana that we feel we might have lost on the field.”
The reception to Foster’s appointment has been mixed.
Perhaps it was the loss to England at the World Cup, perhaps it’s Foster’s championship-less tenure with the Chiefs, or perhaps it’s simply a thirst for change – but the possibility of Robertson injecting his ideas into the national side had many All Blacks fans salivating.
Robertson, despite having plenty of experience in New Zealand, however, has yet to show his wares on the international stage.
Since the sport went professional in 1996, just one All Blacks head coach hadn’t already had experience in the coaching set-up of a national side.
This factor almost certainly would have counted against Roberston.
In many ways, the best outcome for everyone involved would have seen Foster and Robertson working together, letting Foster take the reins but also allowing one of New Zealand’s most promising coaches of the last decade to develop his abilities with the expectation that he would eventually take over.
Should things go pear-shaped for the @AllBlacks, there's at least one coach who will be on hand and ready to take over.https://t.co/lcD9yyWZce
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 11, 2019
Was this an option that Foster would have ever considered?
“I think we’re two head coaches,” Foster said on the matter.
“When it comes to your coaching group, to me it’s really important you get people that are right for the job and that are happy with the seat they have on the bus.”
That definitely implies there wouldn’t be room for both Foster and Robertson in the same coaching set-up – there’s no quicker way to ruin a successful sports team than to have two people in charge who both want to be top dog.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) also didn’t want to influence the coaching teams presented by Foster and Robinson. The abilities of the individuals within a coaching team are obviously important, but there has to be some harmony between the individuals too.
“(Foster and Robertson) had a lot of time to think about and put their teams together,” said incoming NZR CEO Mark Robinson, who was on the selection panel for the coaching role.
“We signalled to them the things that were going to be important, in terms of those teams, but we certainly didn’t want to force marriages on people that weren’t meant to be.”
No doubt, an arrangement between Foster and Robertson was one that may have intrigued NZR, but not one they wanted to force upon the candidates in question.
New Zealand Rugby may have decided that Ian Foster was the best man for the job, but that hasn't convinced the leagues of Scott Robertson supporters.https://t.co/p9D6rGByOK#AllBlacks
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 11, 2019
In the end, we’re now left with a situation where Foster takes over as the man in charge of the All Blacks while Robertson will continue to lead the Crusaders.
It’s hardly a bad position to be in – though there will be an understandable fear that Robertson will table plenty of offers from foreign clubs now that the All Blacks coaching role is out of the question for at least the next two years.
As exciting as it would have been to see Ian Foster and Scott Robertson team up for New Zealand, too many cooks in the kitchen could well have spoiled the recipe that is the All Blacks’ continued success.
WATCH: Joe Schmidt, Ireland’s most successful national coach, has received plenty of criticism in the wake of his team’s unsuccessful World Cup.
Comments on RugbyPass
I 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.
2 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
2 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
3 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to commentsBrett Excellent words… finally someone (other than DC) has noted that Hanigan is very hard and very good at doing what Backrow should do… his performance via the Drua sauna was quite daunting for those on the other side… very high tackle count… carries with good end result… constant threat to make a good 20-25 meters with those long legs… providing his mass effectively to crunching the Drua pack… Finally he is returning to quality form… way to much injury time over the last 2 years… smart-strong-competent in his skills… caught every lineout throw aimed at him and delivered clean pass to whoever was down below… and he worked hard for the whole 80 minutes… Ned has to be in the top 5 for backrow honors… He knows what is required as he has been there before…
20 Go to commentsI think Sam Whitelock should not touch a return with a bargepole. He went out on a high, playing in the RWC Final. He would be coming back into a team that will be weaker than last years, and might even be struggling to win games, especially against the Boks. Stay in France, enjoy another year with Pau, playing alongside his brother.
10 Go to commentsRyan Coxon has been very impressive considering he was signed by WF as injury cover whilst Uru has been a standout for QR, surprised neither of those mentioned
3 Go to comments