If there are All Blacks who can’t keep their mind on the job in such circumstances - and I doubt it - they need to be replaced.
Or to put it another way - many teams/individuals around the world have dealt with far more serious distractions than a coach whose run is coming to an end.
It was, of course, a political play by Foster, and he’s not the first New Zealand rugby luminary to go down the track of cloaking what’s best for him in what’s best for the game.
It’s hard to tell, but I don’t think his argument hold sway with the masses, who have observed the World Cup campaign being derailed by his coaching.
But there are apparently Foster-ites claiming that there is no good reason to hurry the decision to install either Scott Robertson or Jamie Joseph, because they won’t have rival job offers before the end of the season.
I beg to disagree.
First and foremost, New Zealand Rugby needs to understand - and I think this is the point they got to - that no matter what happens at this year’s World Cup, Ian Foster is not the man for the future.
The problem is, if he comes up with some kind of reasonable performance in France, the NZR will then have trouble moving on if Foster wants to stay.
What can’t be forgotten is that Foster was a central part of a once-great All Blacks coaching regime under Steve Hansen which had fallen apart by the last World Cup. He was already part of a slide that has gathered pace.
Indeed, despite all the advantages of being the incumbent, and all that supposedly invaluable experience, he couldn’t initially put together a resilient and successful coaching team.
And if anybody faces disruptions via appointment delays, it is Crusaders boss Robertson, who has been stuffed around by the NZR.
Here’s the bottom line.
It is time to move on from the old guard, to discover what potential lies within New Zealand.
If there is a risk in appointing Joseph or Robertson - and there is an element of risk to all coaching appointments - it is well worth taking.
The succession plan, organised by an old guard that refuses to let go, is pulling the game down.
Installing a new coach, I would argue, is even more important than winning the World Cup.
New Zealand rugby has hit one of those critical points where it needs new energy and ideas from the top.
And Ian Foster needs to come to some sort of understanding around that, for the sake of the game.
WINNER: Clayton McMillan
Speaking of future test coaches - Chiefs boss McMillan is a man on the rise. Amazing to think the franchise flirted with dear old Warren Gatland, which did seem like a reasonable if messy concept (involving his other commitments) at the time. There’s a message in that for NZR - have faith in new blood and fresh ideas.
WINNER: Damian McKenzie
The Chiefs’ dismantling of the Crusaders has further propelled the Smiling Wizard into the World Cup No. 10 debate. And the clever Josh Ioane should also be in the mix, particularly if he works up a great playmaking combo with McKenzie. As for the unconvincing Richie Mo’unga, he needs to get cracking.
WINNER: The Six Nations
An increasingly fabulous rugby competition. It has drama and grandeur, driven by wonderful crowds at great stadiums.
LOSER: Causes
I’m sick of sport trying to stuff causes down my throat during the actual broadcast of matches.
I happened upon a women’s A-league game and was immediately hit by a commentator talking at length about the competition’s Pride Round — and not the match. I switched to another channel.
It’s truly great that sports stars are taking up the cudgels around important social causes. They have many avenues available to do that, as do the sports organisations. But leave the actual broadcast of the games alone.
WINNER: Speaking of which…
Footballers are making excellent points related to sport and its role in dealing with climate change.
Among the tournaments in the gun is the recently completed women’s World Cup qualifying event in New Zealand, which critics say was unnecessary and set a bad carbon footprint example.
Irish defender Diane Caldwell said: “If football cares about the climate crisis and actually demonstrates cutting emissions, can you imagine the impact that could have on billions of fans across the world?”
Kiwi player Katie Rood also weighed in, saying football had to quit its obsession with the expansion and growth of major tournaments.
And British player spokesman David Wheeler picked out the Club World Cup - where Auckland City has just competed - saying it was like “junk food”.
“The climate is sick and potentially terminally ill - we’re doing the very thing that’s making it sick,” he said.
WINNER: Grant Holloway
There was nothing special about the American’s 60m hurdle performance at the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham. In other words, he won yet again.
The 25-year-old Holloway hasn’t been beaten in this event since he was 14 years old, a run of 68 victories.
Kiwi shot put legend Valerie Adams is up there when it comes to winning streaks with a run of 107 victories.
Athletics’ greatest winning streak of 150 belongs to Romanian high jumper Iolanda Balas, set during the 1950/60s.
Writing for the World Athletics, Kiwi expert Steve Landells has argued the greatest modern athletic feat belongs to Kenyan marathon giant Eliud Kipchoge, who won 10 straight.
WINNER/LOSER: Gudaf Tsegay
The Ethiopian missed the 3000m world indoor record by an agonising whisker in Birmingham, after having to veer around a backmarker.
With her pacemakers well gone, Tsegay was dragged towards the record by the relatively new Wavelight system, involving lights inside the track that flow at the world record pace.
This, to old timers, would seem to verge on cheating, but the system was ratified by World Athletics a couple of years ago.
Top athletes apparently say the system is no substitute for opponents, because the lights flow at a constant pace whereas runners best respond to ebb and flow.
WINNER: John Motson
Sad indeed, the passing of the iconic British football commentator at the age of 77. He was, as billed, the voice of football.
He even had a trademark look - a sheepskin jacket. It became such a part of his image that Motson had about 10 specially tailored for him over the years, and one now hangs in Britain’s football museum.
