It’s not the time to rhyme, the echoes from before drilled in pain again.
Ian Foster states the same riddles with monotone and boredom. He says “I know” a lot, usually on average, in a three-minute interview, about 15 times.
But he doesn’t quite know and it shows. I notice he says the exact opposite of what I’m feeling. He talks up the occasion about how big it is and how he’s so “excited” but never looks excited especially in the box on the day.
Whilst I feel dread that will soon be bestowed upon me. I feel it coming, a loss, heartache, and another sacred record broken and almost erased of its existence, whilst Foster denies it and hopes.
Foster is a genuine, ethical, likeable guy but when he is part of arguably the worst decision the NZR has ever made true discussion has to happen.
Foster often talks about how big the occasion is and he does it with a smile and says it excites him or it’s a “concoction”. These are games against Ireland at home and the Boks away. Foster brings up the pressure, talks it up and later negative results come up.
It’s surface mentality with the way Foster talks that holds little substance. It’s different if one goes deeper into the hard facts, at one with the true pressure and profoundly finds the calmness there, before emerging ready to take it on, in a similar manner to a Zen master who says, “Is this so?”
Foster goes too light here and it backfires because it holds no depth therefore it has no value. Foster is not going to the core and truth but being slightly smug at the pressured occasion, and with a smile saying it excites him. It’s the wrong rhythm, a feigned type of frequency and it shows to me he doesn’t quite know what he’s doing, and it does affect the team, even if it is unconsciously.
On the facade, often an easy way to assess a coach is on his selections. If he can’t get that right then it flows on.
The All Black front row, needs youth. The “baby All Blacks” is just fine while they take their journey early. Foster has been way too late with Ethan De Groot and Samisoni Taukei’aho – being dropped and then drip fed in. The youth coming in with perhaps Joe Moody and Owen Franks to add substance to the new wave is a newness they need.
The loose forwards, we all know are wrong except Foster. It should be Ardie Savea at 7, Cullen Grace at 8 and choose a big 6 that fits that mix. Sam Cane on the bench at best (bench fringe).
Cane got the captaincy after going through eight losses in a row for the Chiefs. That’s not a good sign at all. You don’t want to bring that losing energy into an All Black camp. If Cane could not succeed in the Super then it wasn’t his time. Under a new coach, he’ll be lucky to make the All Black bench.
In the last game against the Boks Cane made four carries and gained one metre. 10 tackles with two misses. His final touch, a poor pass to the shoulder of Shannon Frizell lead to the Boks’ try and created a record loss. He was lucky he was not yellow carded for taking the fullback out in the air. Cleared because it was his own player, Jordie Barrett!
After three years Foster has yet to decide who his first five is. He’s like a kid with too many choices – he just wants them all, just like his three 7s – fundamentally that will not work. It’s very clear Richie Mo’unga is the one. I think Foster may have just figured it out. But please just make a choice and back it.
The midfield is still muddled, as is the back three that could easily be rectified by putting the best players in their favourite positions. Jordie Barrett at 12. Will Jordan at 15. Rieko Ioane back out to the wing (not Ioane’s favourite but it should be).
The All Blacks have a copious amount of depth in certain positions. It’s very positive but it isn’t if one spreads those players into positions that have no depth. The 7 should be sorted with Ardie Savea number one. Dalton Papalii number two. Sam Cane number three.
The alchemy metamorphosis is a fine art with players emerging better than before in a different position. We have great case studies here with Tana Umaga, Ma’a Nonu and then the ones like Ben Smith who can blend effortlessly between the two – wing and fullback. Foster doesn’t have the mastery.
On a side note, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is not up to it right now and perhaps needs a new breath at 13 in the Super. He needs more space and room to roam. He needs similar conditions to what he had in league. At the moment he’s contained and too predictable.I would love to see him play as he did in the NRL.
It’s not the collapse of a 100-year-plus empire. The NZR picked a coach that wouldn’t respectfully in my view even make the top 20 NZ coaches;
1: Scott Robertson 2: Steve Hansen 3: Jamie Joseph 4: Robbie Deans 5: Joe Schmidt 6: Dave Rennie 7: Tony Brown 8: Leon Macdonald 9: John Mitchell 10: Graham Henry 11: Warren Gatland 12: Vern Cotter 13: Wayne Pivac 14: Kieran Crowley and then eventually Foster would come in somewhere around 22. Put the 22nd-best first five in the All Blacks and see what happens? Having the 22nd-best coach is a lot worse.
Foster has been good and kind to the players’ when he was an All Black assistant coach and that kindness has returned to him now. There’s a return of that loyalty from the players. I feel this has made the group tight with Foster. In the sense, that if someone has been supportive and helped when you were down or just needed support, it’s very natural to return that warmth. It’s a genuine, authentic thing to do and there is respect there.
Coach Ian Foster looks on during a New Zealand All Blacks Training Session at Sky Stadium on July 26, 2022 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
I can understand why the All Black players have backed Foster. They have returned the loyalty.
But I also know, and derailing off the path here slightly, in romantic partnerships, and I’ve seen it happen; two individuals can come together and one can tame the other’s personality where it merges and dulls into the other with no awareness of it.
It happened to me once when I was younger. I was creative and free and a bit different, she cared about image and status and she loved the spontaneity and idiosyncrasies that I gave. We were opposites. But then she reined it in, she loved the rebel but just not after a couple of weeks and around her friends!
She wanted the perfect look, the perfect Sydneysider. I didn’t really know until it was all over and the wisest soul (think Matrix oracle) I know said, “Your personality is just coming back. You lost your whole creative spark. That’s why you got no creative work. You didn’t wow them.”
I lost the magic (and employment!). So I found it! I found the truth, a lot more really …but we’re here to talk about rugby huh! Which comes back to Foster; Dane Coles said last year “I can’t put my finger on it” regarding their form.
Brendon McCullum turned the English cricket team around immediately within a week. The risk taker, the believer, and the innovator joined their group and made them believe, and be their true inner talent, their creator within. He taught them to be in the moment free of expectations and pressure.
Have you ever noticed certain moments whether it’s a rain-affected Test match or T20 and a player has a free life almost to just bat and swing and destroy the attack with no consequence? To a degree, I think McCullum installed that feel. He also untangled old beliefs and that gave them knowledge and freedom, whilst playing cricket and probably in their general lives and they were the best versions of themselves. England beat NZ 3-0 and India in the next game.
It shows it can change fast and the influence an innovative leader can have.
I think Foster has integrated his easy-going nature onto the All Blacks. Made them feel fine and cool, brought in fool’s gold for them and they believed him. He’s dimmed their shine and they haven’t quite figured it yet. But their time has come to find their recognition and power. Like how I figured it out there will be a time when the truth hits them and they find the understanding. In the moment it can be hard to figure out what’s happening sometimes when there’s something dysfunctional happening. The truth to the individual is often revealed a little later.
The once were almighty All Blacks lead by a coach not even in the top 20 NZ coaches, and this is what happens. Foster should have stayed as an assistant. He is simply not strong enough for this All Black role.
NZR needs to be astute and make the change. Get the best of the best. Allow him the opportunity to choose his team and be honoured.
Razor is the man. But NZR messed him around when he could have had a clean slate and a four-year cycle back in 2019. So NZR has to evolve, lose the ego and make it happen. Make it accommodating.
Make up from before and strike with a clean slate; and the dynasty, the magic machine with its ebbs and flows, arguably the best sports team ever on the planet, in any form, can come forth and shine again. The darkness will strike and come back.
gwf
Guest
Reading the commentary above...for the most part hallelujah. I think it is basically spot on the money Lets appoint this guy to the board of the NZRU, for as much as we can hang it on Foster, Robinson and the board of rhe NZRU also need to take a good hard look at themselves and for the most part, fall on their sword for dereliction of duty Kiwi living in Melboure and not looking forward to Sept15 when I will be at Marvel Stadium supporting my team and wishing like hell they can beat a very hungry and full of belief Wallaby side
Jokerman
Roar Guru
There are some hidden stars around and good to get them early huh? I thought Robbie Dean’s was pretty good at recognising the talent and bringing them in quickly. Dean’s was dissed a bit but he did have the Wallabies consistently at number 2 in the world for most of his time.
Thing Me
Roar Rookie
When will we ever get over the issue of coaches are the problem? It is selections. If you pick the right players the results will show. There are more than 60000 former Kiwis living north of Brisbane. Can't tell me that there isn't any talent deriving from that pool? Just requires Dave Rennie and Co bringing their binoculars northwards on the Greyhound. The same with Foster. He was a shrewd first-five for Waikato and deserves some respect. But when was the last time he ever played or visited Gisborne or Ekatahuna or Invercargill?
WEST
Roar Guru
Squidge is good :thumbup: a lot of information he puts into those videos. Wibble Rugby is another YouTube channel.. if you haven’t watched it already. Worth going through. His video on France vs South Africa is good :thumbup:
Fiddlestix
Guest
Happy for another loss by the ABs. FOZ will say its their best game yet full of learnings and better growth.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Pretty right Tim, as all of this carry on should’ve been sorted before the AB’s arrived in the Republic! But no, these ratbags at the NZRFU, especially CEO Mark Robinson, had to chuff off to the Comm. Games. It does show us all where his priorities are! No wonder many back home are kicking up, as that’s not the only thing. As observing the NPC does show the wrongful selections we have in the AB’s.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
We both have the same views about NZRU, for them it is not about the fans. I wonder how much pressure the players have been under to come out and support Foster? Foster will be the escape goat while NZRU will have no blame.. :angry:
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Yep JM, the Bokke comfortably as knowing Ellis Park & being there back in 2013, for what was classed as the greatest test match played, it’s a massive environment!
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
I’m with you Tim, as with the return of Duane Vermullen, I can see both him & Marx creating havoc. TBH, that Bokke side, is something else,& especially with them in Jo’burg at Ellis Park, it’s one hell of a environment.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Yeh RT, as Wayne Smith was given a raw deal when he was head coach at the turn of the century. But he has proven himself time & again since then. Even with the Black Ferns, he’s going really well, as just last week he had Dan Carter on board, directing the kicking skills. But your right, fixing up the mens game, is going to be a massive effort, to try & get us up to scratch before the RWC. Also Bro, have you been watching the NPC? Some awesome rugby there.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Hi Loosey, good observations. Cane is doing ok (not brilliant) but he's been fighting a losing battle with little support from two highlights reel loose forwards. At least Ardie does a lot on attack but with Akira we're totally unbalanced
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Yeh Tim Bro, but Rassie did do it, but he had the support of the SARU, all the way. So obviously there needs to be a shuffle around or two at NZRFU as they ATM seemed to be all over the place. All those things need to be taken into consideration Bro.
tuohyred
Roar Rookie
If only Fozz had some ideas of his own. See Squidge - Cotzee was innovative, but all too "loose" Rassie tightened that, and, according to Squidge, France are using his template.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Lots of good sense there but Baz only coaches the red ball team. An Aussie coaches the struggling white ball team.
Sinclair Whitbourne
Roar Rookie
Thanks for the article I enjoyed it, but you have lost me with the characterisation of Foster. Make no mistake, he wouldn't be my first choice for All Black head coach and he wasn't in 2019. However, you commit some pretty serious errors, in my view, in your characterisation of Foster. First, you provide no criteria for assessing what makes a coach in your top 20 NZ coaches and provide no evidence to support your assertions. That makes it a discussion devoid of any substance. Second, you create a straw man in characterising Foster and that is a lazy approach. Third, you don't do anything to look at what makes a successful head coach at All Black level. A problem with characterising Foster as not even in the top 2o NZ coaches is that the All Black backline ran pretty well, I thought, in 2012 -2019 when he was the assistant coach with responsibility for the backs; or is that going to be airbrushed out now? Why would people like Graeme Henry and Steve Hanson risk tarnishing their reputations by recommending a bloke in 2019 that was so hopeless and why would Hanson have stuck with him over those years? Is the reason that present players have spoken out in support of him just loyalty? How does that explain past players who have done the same and who weren't from the Chiefs franchise or Waikato? You say it is loyalty being repaid but Julian Savea was basically let go and he has come out in support of Foster, so might it not be that the guy actually isn't a total flop? You don't really look at what makes a good coach, or a successful coach, or a good provincial head coach v a good international level one, or a good assistant coach v a good head coach is complex. You name Gatland as a better coach, but his record in Super Rugby is a 28% win ratio v Foster at a touch over 50% https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiefs_(rugby_union). Tony Brown in his second coming at the franchise based in Otago was 37.5% and Jamie Joseph is 53% https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlanders_(rugby_union). Now I can make good arguments about other things in favour of Gatland et al, like JJ and Brown having the 2015 Super trophy v a single losing final for Foster in 2009, or Gatland being a successful Lions coach in 2013 and 2017 but what are your criteria? You never say. Is taking a relatively weak playing group to a final of Super Rugby a better achievement than taking a very strong group to a winning final? Do we consider Foster's s 100% winning seasons with the NZ U23's as head coach? He has a better record there than Razor at 93%, but I could defend Razor's record by pointing out that his side only lost 1 game. Yet if you wanted to pick holes, Razor took a winning side in 2015 and then missed out on the finals of the following U20 World Cup https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_World_Rugby_Under_20_Championship; yet that was off 1 loss and a 1 point win over Wales seeing his side miss out on points for and against - had they scored a few more v Wales they may well have gone on to win the comp. Chris Boyd who has a better Super Rugby record (76% win rate) than Foster has an inferior record with the junior All Blacks than Foster. So is he a worse coach than Foster? Or was Foster just lucky? Grame Henry had a very average record at times in his career - have a look at his last season with Wales and his losing leadership of the 2001 Lions. The 2007 RWC wasn't exactly a triumph either. How was the side travelling in 2009 after losing two to the Boks? Yet in 2009 he was dealing with a very fine SA side. Does that not count? if Smith is in your top 10, what is the criteria? Wayne Smith is an outstanding rugby brain and a gifted coach, but if you look at his All Black head coach record it was 2 seasons, 50% in the Tri Nations, clean swept by Oz in 2001, including their first win at the House of Pain and so on. Yet the same person had two Super 12 trophies as a head coach. You also characterise Foster as 'a nice guy' - if you know anything about getting to the top in any field, the first thing is that you do it by being good at putting the knife in. Some people just smile whilst they do it. I doubt very much that he is a nice guy. He is a professional driven to succeed. Ask his two sacked assistant coaches if Foster is an ethical and nice guy for staying in his job whilst they lost theirs - they were his picks, remember. The personality assessment is also very thin on substance. In my profession, law, winners come in all forms, from pit bull types to softly spoken and apparently gentle (nice) types. When I took a break and was teaching I saw the same thing. My take is that like Wayne Smith, Foster has taken over at a time of transition where NZ are relatively weak in several key playing positions and where key rivals are unusually strong. Like Wayne Smith, I suspect that his strengths may be at the assistant coach level, but both had success as head coaches. If they came into their head coach roles in a different context, maybe it would be a different story. Ask Nic Bishop what he thinks about his mate Stu Lancaster - a pretty disastrous reign as England head coach, but in my view a very astute coach. His time wasn't helped by the whole Sam Burgess saga, a situation over which he had little control, as I understand it. Like you, I am frustrated by a lot of things at present - selections, tactics being two, but you don't actually have to make a straw man out of Foster to make a case for change. He can actually be a highly competent coach but not be the right man at the right time. He can be a legitimate coach with a legitimate take on how to try to navigate NZ through a difficult period even where you (and I) might disagree. It doesn't have to be a binary argument - Foster = bad, Razor =God.
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Hey Muz, I also feel the same about Wayne Smith, too much to do and too little time to achieve. I really hope I’m wrong but concede fixing the men’s game might need a bit more attention than the ladies.. I hope I’m wrong on both counts, just my half filled glass seems to be leaking a little at the moment.
Kiwi in East Perth
Guest
The press conferences are lacking in substance that it’s not worth paying attention as it’s all or speak anyway. But I did think his answers about he considers himself part of the team as a deflection to whether he is personally under pressure was strange. Its as if he is a player in the squad, but he is the coach and surely you have to be a bit distant, impartial, and critical. My concerns at the end of Hansens era was he got to close to some of the players and it seems this has carried on. It’s not exactly a high performance environment but more a mates club and you are ever one of us or your not.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
Muzzo, Mains has to be the unluckiest coach after the 1995 RWC. He produced a great side and then got dumped, and look what one year later in SA. He was the reason for those players playing the level that they did.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
Hello Muzzo, Cuzzy Bro! I keep looking back at what Rassie did dragging SA out of the mire and taking them to RWC Championship winners in a year. But you are right as it will be a huge task, I feel that Razor will have more time to turn things around considering how far backwards we have gone. Even if it is not next year it will be about proper development and growth going forward, I only have one concern? Razor with stating his assistants are mainly ex Crusaders players or current coaches. North Islanders might use this as a point of frustration, hopefully they do not though.
tuohyred
Roar Rookie
We made the London Economist today: Dark days for the All Blacks The All Blacks, New Zealand’s men’s rugby union team, has a compelling claim to be the best sports team ever. Since their first game in 1903, they have won more than 75% of the matches they have played, and three World Cups. By those high standards, recent results have been disastrous. In July they lost a series at home to Ireland. Last week they lost in South Africa. The second (and final) match in that series is played on Saturday. Ian Foster, the coach, needs a win to keep his job. But there are also structural weaknesses hurting the team. Changes to the domestic club-level competition have cut off exposure to sides from outside the Pacific. Participation rates are falling as kids turn to other sports. The team’s financial future may be secure, thanks to a private-equity injection of $129m earlier this year. But a return to all-conquering form, especially before the World Cup in 2023, looks far less certain.