It’s been 10 long years since Steve Hansen took over with his new coaching staff – which included current coach Ian Foster – and seemingly transitioned world rugby into a completely new phase.
He created a gameplan that hadn’t been seen before – forwards interchanging short balls between each other, forwards playing the second man ball off a ruck and forwards playing on the wing, with the skill and speed to handle themselves if left with an opportunity.
This style of play led to what I believe to be the most dominant All Black period in their rich history, from 2012-2015, where they went undefeated in 2013 and won a World Cup in 2015.
By the next World Cup in 2019, teams had just about caught up and England decimated the All Blacks at their own style of play. This led to Hansen’s resignation and he passed it on to the aforementioned Foster.
Since 2020, Foster has seemingly made no real improvements to the style of play and if last night was evident the All Blacks really haven’t evolved since 2015.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
What about other teams?
As Ireland showed, they are slowly improving, and are working more and more on the game plan the Blacks implemented 10 years ago.
Ireland played the second phase ball as well as anyone could last night and had the All Blacks lost for numbers almost the entire game.
They played immense and deserve all the accolades and achievements they conjured, but just how bad did the All Blacks look?
They looked sloppy. They looked like a team in quicksand. There has been no significant improvement and I believe many of their games won in the past few years have been due to individual brilliance.
I believe the talent in New Zealand is still superior to any country in the world, I truly do – I think on paper they should still be ahead of teams, as they are used to – but this style of play is just not working.
Picking a player completely out of form as your captain was just a key indicator that this All Black reign is destined to fall.
In the heartland of Christchurch, you have a guy who wins every year and makes sure you know of it too (by breakdancing). He has won at every level he has coached at, and he seemingly knows how to manage teams with supreme talent.
He is dancing and dancing until he gets a chance, but the NZRU decides to extend Foster after a few measly wins last season? It just doesn’t make sense.
Ian, please do yourself and the country a favour.
Dip your hat, ride off into the sunset as an assistant coach who may have changed the game, and leave it at that.
This country needs Scott Robertson at the helm. He is the man for the 2023 World Cup, not yourself.
Do the country the ultimate deed and hand over the reigns and let the All Black fanbase have something to cheer for again.
While we are mentioning it, Cane is probably the third best openside flanker in New Zealand today, and he still holds the captain’s badge? It’s a shame.
What has New Zealand come to?
All I know is we need to send a SOS down to our breakdancing larrikin from the Crusaders – please save this country from yet another embarrassing World Cup appearance!
piru
Roar Rookie
I was listening to a podcast the other day and someone (might have been Jeff Wilson actually) said the All Blacks are always capable of 15mins that will blow an opponent away. My concern is that has become the game plan rather than the fallback
Ben
Roar Rookie
The AB's looked really good in that 42-19 first game, still scratching my head how they couldn't replicate that at least in the 3rd test. And now they HAVE to start finding form against my Boks lol.
Faith
Roar Rookie
Wayne resigns because he's a man of integrity. The biggest characteristic of mediocrity is self-survival ...
piru
Roar Rookie
The victory itself isn't 'shocking' The lack of heart and basic skills in the All Blacks, particularly after being beaten in game 2 is what is shocking
piru
Roar Rookie
Or they would be and just have differing opinions on what's important. Never forget the "people who disagree with me are socialist/communist/n@zi/etc
piru
Roar Rookie
Be hard for them to win it if they weren't
Paulo
Roar Rookie
They will likely go down the same spineless albeit practical pathway RA did. Keep the coach, but appoint a ‘Director of Rugby’ (Schmidt). And then look to remove the coach cleanly after a failed World Cup. Also changing the Captain, freeing up that 7 jersey so we can actually select our best back row. This has the look of change, without really being a wholesale change, and keeping some continuity for the WC. But then means they can still clean house after the WC with Foster taking the fall for it.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
I don’t think the Irish victory was ever shocking? Not even the complete lack of ingenuity or adaptive tactics shown the ABs was particularly ‘shocking’. Just disappointing. The biggest shock was probably the hiding the ABs managed to put on the scoreboard in game 1, where they were probably only the better team for 20mins.
mailman
Guest
I take your point Ben but I would argue that Will Jordan is the best fullback in the world (when played at fullback and not on the wing) but admittedly still needs to prove this at test level.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
Except you know... Australia is the other team :laughing:
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
We'd find out if he really could coach that's for sure.
Jason Searle
Guest
Foster is a spin doctor from my point of view, never coached wasn’t great on the field but hey I like your line of thinking. Foster like I said a spin doctor tell NZRU that we have a plan it is jus taking time to fine tune it. Far out wake up. Hansen was amazing coach. Bout in the FOSTER ROT and the demise started. Steve was probably over it a bit an gave fosterrot more control an there we fell
Northkiwi
Roar Rookie
Or - if Socialists understood basic economics - they would not be Socialists....
piru
Roar Rookie
Regardless of what we do now, Aussie will win the Bledisloe You read it here
Ben
Roar Rookie
It is a tough realisation that for the first time in years there is probably not one All Black you can safely say is the world's best in his position. I stand to be corrected. Is the Irish victory really still so shocking?
NH Fan
Guest
Be careful what you wish for. Henry and Hansen both had previous experience with NH International sides, Rassie, Rennie, and Cheika all had NH club experience. Foster and Robertson do not. Rassie turned around SA in two years by bringing in half their players from outside SA for the first time. Rennie improved in part for being allowed to bring in some overseas based players which started with Cheika under the Giteau law. Is Roberston going to be able to pick overseas players like those coaches, I doubt it. Robertson while good at SR level (and did win an u20) he has not come up against the well organised defences that he will face at test level. Not sure what players he could bring in based in NZ that changes things. NZ player depth is summed up by the two most important locks are still the same two from 2015 and a guy is rushed back directly from Japan when one gets injured. Not sure if NZ have the calibre of player to bring back that SA did in 2017. If NZ get beaten comfortably by France and SA in the WC will NZ fans be willing to give Roberston four more years. Do you want his first games away to SA playing a style he hasn't faced since pre-covid (Not that SA SR was near the test side's current organisation systems)
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Socialism according to Engels is supposed to mean “ For each according to their need , from each according to their ability “ . Unfortunately we lost the last bit and seem to think the first bit means “ To each what they want . That’s why it doesn’t work .
Emery Ambrose
Roar Rookie
One thing that you highlight is that period of Hansen and Fosters dominance is they had 6 of the best players in a lifetime to work with, that already had 8 years of experience and 8 years with Hansen, he knew them inside out. After 15 they lost those guys and you could see issues arise on and off, but more frequently. They looked to get worried a year or two out from the cup and brought in a lot of new players for the Semi that they lost. After 19 another 4 or 5 left, from 2015 players coming in didn’t dominate positions and build for years developing there game, there was chopping and changing by Hansen. He left Foster with a relatively inexperienced team with 6 guys over 50 tests, with a few of them gaining those from being on the bench. What should have been looked at in the hiring in 2019 is how would Foster go as a development coach basically, how would he get these guys up to the top standard that is expected as an AB, get them to play as a team, follow a new leader. Is this what we are seeing now, that maybe he isn’t suited to this type of role? He’s trying to apply the old game plan to players it doesn’t suit yet or ever will.
BleedRedandBlack
Roar Rookie
So lets look at this politically, not rationally, because lets face it if this was a rational process Foster wouldnt even have been interviewed for the AB head coach job. Foster is unlikely to be dumped prior to the Rugby Championship. NZR will huff and they will puff for the publics sake, but being fundamentally weak and incompetent they wont be able to genuinely challenge Foster about his incompetence. Foster is certainly a good BS artist, and stunningly arrogant, so unless he really trips up the dead hands of Hansen, Tew and Henry and the fragile pride of NZR will protect him. And survive the RC and he will get the RWC. So what does Foster need to survive the Rugby Championship? 4 wins should guarantee it, whatever they are, and retention of the Bledisloe Cup. He might even be able to get away with 3 wins if one is against SA, and one is against OZ, retaining the cup. If however he gets a three match losing streak, SA, SA, OZ, a distinct possibility then he is really in desperate danger, whatever happens after. My bet. A rejigged and desperate team loses twice in SA but beats Oz in Melbourne and Auckland, and Argentina twice inbetween. New players and assistants are brought in, a facade of change is manufactured, and Foster the politician survives. The AB go down in flames at RWC 2023, but since when has that worried him? Or Hansen. Or Tew. Or Henry. The list does rather go on.
piru
Roar Rookie
I'm not sure what your point is. I don't much care what Ireland says, that's their problem, my concern is New Zealand. "Pretty good" is NZ old man talk for "Excellent", and I have no issue with that assessment. I have an issue with it being offered as a reason for a loss.