All Blacks: Foster joins camp in England

Another possible sign at training that the All Blacks may be about to lose assistant coach Wayne Smith to Welsh club Ospreys.

Chiefs coach and Junior All Blacks co-coach Ian Foster has joined the All Blacks camp for the week long build up to the England test. Foster would be next line in the New Zealand Rugby Union pecking order to fill Wayne Smith's role if a move to Ospreys was to become a reality.

Smith has stated publicly that he has made no decision on a possible move to Wales and will not do so until after the tour ends. Ironically, Foster has just finished a three week period helping the interim coach of Ospreys.

The All Blacks team to play England is to be revealed tomorrow with just the one change expected from the win over Wales. Conrad Smith is tipped to return to centre for Richard Kahui.

The All Blacks have come through training unscathed.

Meanwhile, there is a sense of pride in the All Blacks after being named the IRB team of the year in London. Richie McCaw's men took away the team title while Graham Henry was named coach of the year.

First five Stephen Donald says it is a nice reward for a trying season. He says they have come through a fair bit this year and have shown a lot of character in some tough places so it is something to be proud of.

Donald did concede that he did not know the team had won the award until the interviewer told him.

- NEWSTALK ZB