Ian Foster’s book highlights his challenging tenure as All Blacks coach from 2020 to 2023.
Foster faced intense media scrutiny and poor treatment from New Zealand Rugby management.
Gilbert Enoka described Foster’s experience as the toughest among All Blacks coaches in 23 years.
Ian Foster’s book Leading Under Pressure with Gregor Paul is a detailed reminder that Foster coached the All Blacks from 2020 to 2023 in truly bizarre circumstances. Foster, you come to the conclusion, is probably the worst-treated All Blacks coach of the professional era.
If you divide off-fieldpressure into public and media attitudes, and then how New Zealand rugby management behaved, three previous coaches in particular spring to mind for the rocky roads they had to travel.
Sir Graham Henry in 2007. Hard to believe now after the World Cup triumph of 2011. But when Henry was reappointed after his All Blacks were eliminated at the 2007 Cup in a quarter-final, the reaction here gave new meaning to the word fury. On radio, Murray Deaker called the team chokers and demanded Henry quit.
Laurie Mains, coach of the 1995 World Cup All Blacks, said: “I am still amazed that Graham Henry has not resigned. It’s quite unbelievable.” Undefeated All Blacks captain Sir Wayne “Buck” Shelford said: “Ego is starting to control the affairs of Graham Henry. The World Cup was a disaster. It’s time to move on. We need a change.”
No wonder that in speeches after the 2011 Cup victory, Henry might not have been altogether joking when he said if the All Blacks hadn’t eventually won the cup, he would have moved to Brazil.
In his recent book, Ian Foster has talked about the clashes he had with New Zealand Rugby top brass including chief executive Mark Robinson (inset). Photo / Photosport, New Zealand Herald composite
The worst after the event? John Hart in 1999. After losing a semifinal to France at Twickenham, 43-31, the reaction in New Zealand was violent. Hart’s face filled the front page of New Zealand Rugby Monthly with the word “GUILTY” in burning red capital letters across his throat. Jeff Wilson, a player in ′99, would say: “Few criminals have been vilified as much as we were, and, in particular, as much as John Hart was.”
What about poor treatment by the then New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU)? How Sir Wayne Smith was treated in 2000 was hands-down the shabbiest ... until Foster’s experiences. In 2000, the NZRU refused to allow Smith to have his Crusaders’ forward coach Peter Sloane in his management group. Then the union misconstrued Smith’s feeling that the coaching position should be contestable after his first two years and allowed a man now universally recognised as one of the world’s great coaches to slip away.
A lack of trust? He reached a point where he asked to speak directly to New Zealand Rugby chairwoman Dame Patsy Reddy because he didn’t have a lot of faith that chief executive Mark Robinson and head of professional rugby Chris Lendrum would present his views to her accurately. How bad did it become? The team’s mental skills expert, Gilbert Enoka, says Foster was the toughest of all the coaches he worked with in 23 years with the All Blacks. He needed to be. Enoka describes what Foster dealt with as brutal. “We never felt supported by the chief executive and whenever he could he put the boot into us.”
Myths legends and lies
The British and Irish Lions opened their Australian tour with a 54-7 victory over the Western Force in Perth. What was most noteworthy was that 46,000 people watched the game. The Lions have a fan base to dream of. Non-violent, enthusiastic and rich enough to travel to the other side of the world to see a game that was always going to be one-sided.
And it wouldn’t be a Lions’ tour without the completely false idea being touted that the 1971 Lions played exciting, attacking rugby when they became the only Lions to beat the All Blacks in a series. A story by Gavin Mairs, the rugby correspondent of England’s Daily Telegraph, on the great figures in Lions’ history said: “Importantly, the style that the Lions played in 1971 not only changed the perception of British and Irish rugby, but also changed the way New Zealand played the game.”
I reported on the ’71 tour and while the Lions played some thrilling rugby in provincial games, in the four test matches they played a style so dour it wouldn’t have looked out of place in the 1950s.
Lions playmaker Barry John was a star on the 1971 tour of New Zealand. Photo / NZ Herald
Four years ago – wanting to check my memories of ′71 – I grimly sat through the full 80-minute video of the last test at Eden Park, a 14-14 draw. In the first half, although gifted Lions first five-eighths Barry John did pass eight times, while kicking seven times, the ball did not make it once to the Lions wings. Mike Gibson or fellow centre, captain John Dawes, did the kicking if John didn’t. In the second half, John got the ball nine times. He kicked every single time. That’s nine kicks, zero passes.
As they say in the classics, inspirational attacking rugby my butt.
I sincerely hope the impassioned words of Manu Samoa international Paul Williams are echoing when Auckland City Council make the final decision on the future of Western Springs, a call that has the potential to devastate the operations of the Ponsonby Rugby Club.
“Organisations can talk about inclusivity,” Williams told the Herald. “They have all sorts of fancy words about what makes a club or organisation successful, Ponsonby have lived it.”
Former international rugby player Paul Williams (left) has issued an emotional plea for backing on a proposal to keep one of New Zealand's historic rugby clubs situated at Auckland's Western Springs Stadium. Photo / David Latu
After 150 years in existence – and the production of a record 48 All Blacks – rugby has been well served by Ponsonby. But having had an association with the club since 1973, I’d suggest their greatest triumph has been giving, as they are this year, 1000 playing members, from kids to golden oldies a warm, positive environment. Hopefully, that attitude will continue to be embraced at Western Springs.
Phil Gifford is a Contributing Sports Writer for NZME. He is one of the most-respected voices in New Zealand sports journalism.
