Ian Foster is on his way home to New Zealand in the expectation he will be the All Blacks head coach for their next Test against Argentina in Christchurch a week on Saturday.
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New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson has given Foster no guarantee he will be, and indeed in attempting to clear up “speculation” about Foster’s future in a call to journalists from South Africa on Sunday night, more has been created.
“He’s got a job to do, but I’m about to hop on a plane, go home, and probably mow the lawns around the pool. I’ll be giving feedback, no doubt,” said Foster regarding Robinson’s comments before leaving for the airport.
“My expectation is I’m the All Black head coach and [next] weekend I’ll be going to Christchurch and assembling for a team until I’m told anything different.”
As has been well documented since the Irish series defeat and the All Blacks’ first Test loss to the Springboks at Mbombela Stadium, these are tumultuous times for the All Blacks and New Zealand Rugby, and the team’s stunning 35-23 victory against the odds at Ellis Park, plus Robinson’s latest media appearance, have given them yet another twist.
Foster’s future has likely already been decided at the highest level, and, after three successive defeats this year, the news may not be good for him.
Robinson said the All Blacks’ latest performances would be reviewed again and a decision announced on Foster this week. He said he couldn’t provide any other detail, and wouldn’t comment on whether Scott Robertson was on standby to take over.
Foster’s players have publicly backed him and, while Robinson refused to, Foster said he bore no ill-will towards him.
READ MORE: Ian Foster’s fate to be revealed when team back in NZ
“I certainly feel I’ve got the support and backing of the All Blacks and I believe I’ve got the support … I think, NZ Rugby … I guess there are processes they want to go through to categorically say that. What I do know is to coach this team you have to have categoric support,” he said.
“You get used to it, and that’s sad,” Foster said of the scrutiny and criticism.
“And I get used to the personal side, but that’s the nature of the job. They’re the distractions I ask the players to put to one side when we go out to a Test match … and in all honesty I think the playing group has been demanding that of me – stop sulking, get on with it and do your job. Sometimes the answer is in the simplicity of that.”
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“There is no manual with this job. You’ve got to trust yourself, trust the people you work with, then you’ve got to be open to the different ideas you get, and put it into a plan. I’m a different coach to what I was 12 months ago. Last year we won 12 out of 13 in a row [the All Blacks played 15 in total and lost to South Africa, Ireland and France] and no one was talking about us. What this team learns is when things go wrong, you certainly hear it.”
Foster, who stated after the first Test loss in South Africa that he felt the All Blacks were on the right track, was largely vindicated at Ellis Park.
His side played with a laser-like focus on attack aligned with a furious intensity at the breakdown, and the Boks, seeing their kicking game blunted by Jordie Barrett and Will Jordan in particular, had few answers.
“I saw an All Blacks team play with a lot of pride and reach the levels that we really want to get to,” Foster said. “I’m pleased with the way we dealt with the challenges we had, and pleased the team is growing through a bit of adversity. We wish the road was smooth all the time, but unfortunately life does throw you a few curveballs.
“You look at three [losses] in a row and that’s adversity a lot of this group, including me, haven’t had. Our mindset was about trying to grow the team. We’ve got an absolute goal for a World Cup next year and in many ways this needs to be a launching pad for that. I’m not resentful about anything that’s happened over the last three weeks. We’re using it the right way to fuel a team that’s united, has a growth mindset and wants to play for this country.”
Ian Foster: ‘My expectation is I’m the All Blacks head coach’ & Latest News Update
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