Mike Hosking: The All Blacks' biggest issue - and why it's not all Ian Foster's fault

All Blacks players during their loss to Ireland. Photo / Photosport

OPINION:

The bigger issue for rugby, other than whether we want to have a crack at Ian Foster, is to accept that Japan are 10th in the latest rankings.

The fact Japan are 10th reminds us that rugby is not actually that big of a sport.

I love it and a lot of us love it, but in an increasingly global world and with each generation growing up in that world, where the All Blacks sit in a fairly small sport might not be a debate for a lot longer.

If you have missed it, we are now fourth in the rankings. That's not good. France are the best, which I think is another reminder of the rankings and whether they matter a lot.

There is winning and there is winning. What I learned and therefore will never forget, is that before we won the World Cup in 2011 we had broadly concluded as a nation that really nothing else matters but that Cup.

We won test after test in the lead up. We won the Bledisloe, the Tri-Nations, but failed in the Cup. We were number one, but failed in the Cup.

So, whether we lost to Ireland in Dunedin won't really matter in the fullness of time. We need to win next year.

We might like to try and get beyond our obsession with blaming coaches for perceived failure. Especially given we have an annoying habit of forming camps. There is the Ian Foster camp and there is the Scott Robertson camp. And as long as there are camps there will be acrimony and needless blame.

All Blacks players during their loss to Ireland. Photo / Photosport

We also fail to accept reality. The world of rugby has caught up with us, the world of rugby is better because the top countries that play have improved, and the standard of the game has lifted.

The downside is the number of countries playing isn't changing significantly. My fear is Silver Lake or no Silver Lake, rugby will never be a truly global sport.

But the fact we can play England, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, or France and have a genuine contest is surely good for the game.

Overall, there a myriad of things that have gone into it. The fact kids have more choice of sport to play, the physicality of the game in a softer modern age, club sport and its fall in numbers generally, and the rules of the game that make it less dynamic to watch. It all feeds in.

It's not all Ian Foster's fault, or any coaches. The same way the nation doesn't come to a grinding halt anymore for sport.

The All Blacks having a rough patch isn't requiring of an execution or flogging. Sport evolves, interests evolve, and life evolves. There is more to life than sport and there is more to sport than Ian Foster.

If the great aim is still to be the World Cup holder, then this is build up and this is preparation. This is not a reason to panic and pull out the knives. This is the time for perspective.