The NZ Rugby board will have a lot to consider when deciding on Ian Foster's future as All Blacks head coach. Photo / Photosport
The NZ Rugby board will have a lot to consider when deciding on Ian Foster's future as All Blacks head coach. Photo / Photosport
Ian Foster's future as All Blacks head coach will be determined within the next two days.
The Herald understands New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson and GM Professional Rugby & Performance Chris Lendrum are set to meet Foster on Tuesday after he and the All Blacks arrived home fromtheir turbulent two test South African tour.
In April, following a review of last year's northern tour that finished with successive defeats to Ireland and France, Foster requested to be judged on the All Blacks' first five tests of this season.
That includes the underwhelming 2-1 home series defeat to Ireland, and the 1-1 Rugby Championship battles with the Springboks in Mbombela and Johannesburg.
Robinson and Lendrum will meet Foster today to review those matches, and all aspects of high performance surrounding the All Blacks, and then provide a recommendation to the nine-person New Zealand Rugby board on whether they believe he should be retained or removed.
Immediately after the All Blacks' victory at Ellis Park, Foster admitted he had no idea whether he would continue in his post. One day later he alluded to his latest looming review prior to departing South Africa after Robinson fronted media and would not endorse Foster's future as All Blacks head coach.
"I haven't heard or read [Robinson's] comments but he's got a job to do. I'm about to hop on a plane and go home and mow the lawns around the pool," Foster said. "I'll be given feedback, no doubt, but my expectations are I'm the All Blacks head coach and later in the week I'll be going to Christchurch and assembling with the team until I'm told anything different."
New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson. Photo / Photosport
After receiving Robinson and Lendrum's recommendation the NZ Rugby board are expected to meet on Wednesday night. At that meeting, they may cast their one vote each to determine Foster's fate.
Last week, prior to the All Blacks' upset triumph at Ellis Park, the mood for change was strong within New Zealand Rugby powerbrokers after witnessing five losses from the team's last six tests.
When the NZ Rugby board met last Sunday night, however, following the All Blacks' inspired 35-23 bonus point victory against the Springboks, that mood is understood to have softened, somewhat. It remains to be seen whether that will be enough to save Foster's tenure, though.
Since that success against the Springboks at altitude many senior All Blacks, the likes of Aaron Smith, captain Sam Cane, Ardie Savea and Sam Whitelock, have publicly backed Foster to retain his position.
While those views are expected to be considered in Robinson and Lendrum's recommendation, and by the board's ultimate decision, they will also be balanced against the vested interests attached to the current coaching regime.
The board must also determine how much improvement can be attributed to the belated change of assistant coaches, particularly Crusaders guru Jason Ryan replacing John Plumtree and the marked leap the All Blacks forward pack made in South Africa.
A definitive decision at this juncture leaves NZ Rugby in a challenging position. A vote for change risks potentially alienating the playing group and driving a wedge between the team and the national body, while maintaining the status quo could evoke another ugly public backlash if results do not continue to significantly improve through to next year's World Cup.
Either way, a decision on Foster's future must be made this week and put to bed once and for all until the World Cup. Further sustained speculation threatens to cause ongoing reputational damage.
The All Blacks are scheduled to reassemble in Christchurch on Sunday before playing the Pumas there the following Saturday.
