Foster in line to take reins after Hansen
The All Blacks assistant coach ticks all the right boxes for NZ Rugby, reports Liam Napier.
IAN Foster is in the box seat to succeed Steve Hansen as All Blacks head coach.
In a well flagged move, Hansen this week extended his successful tenure by a further two years through to the 2019 World Cup (March, 2020, to be exact).
By that point, following eight years as All Blacks head honcho and a further seven as assistant, Hansen is expected to step aside and pave the way for a new mentor.
In announcing Hansen’s resigning, New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew provoked interest by revealing the preference was for the next All Blacks coach to involved in the 2019 World Cup in some capacity.
Tew did not make it clear whether that meant within the All Blacks, or included other international teams.
Approached to clarify the matter, Tew said: ‘‘The main thing behind that comment is we’ve learnt there is no substitute for experience so you would want the majority of people coaching at the 2023 World Cup to have had experience at a World Cup before that event.
‘‘That might be with us or someone else and it might not be the head coach, it could be within the group.’’
A lack of international experience was one reason given as to why Vern Cotter missed out to Hansen when he applied for the All Blacks job prior to joining Scotland.
Dave Rennie, one of the favoured contenders as New Zealand’s most successful Super Rugby coach in recent times having guided the Chiefs to two GETTY IMAGES titles, appears caught in a difficult position.
Even if there was an opening, Rennie is his own man and isn’t interested in joining the All Blacks in an assistant role. He is yet to decide whether to remain with the Chiefs, or pursue an overseas post – which he is favoured to do – beyond next year.
‘‘Dave has got some choices in front of him,’’ Tew said. ‘‘We and the Chiefs are keen for him to stay here and continue the great job he’s doing.
‘‘That, in my mind, would position him very well to be a candidate next time we go to the market for the next All Black coach. But if he had other desires, then he will pursue those.’’
While gaining international experience increases appeal, the complicating factor is head coach candidates must meet two stipulations to be considered. Either, have been involved in New Zealand rugby for at least 12 months prior to the vacancy, or complete a minimum of three years cumulatively with any Kiwi teams. The latter clause remains valid for up to five years from the date the coach ended their involvement with New Zealand, effectively ruling out Warren Gatland, who left home in 2007, and Cotter (2006).
That regulation was made to ensure the All Blacks coach is au fait with local players, tactics and trends.
The upshot is, under current criteria, no one seems better placed than Foster to follow Hansen’s lead and step up from assistant to assume the reins. Foster ticks the World Cup, international and New Zealand categories, though his head coaching record at the Chiefs (one final in eight years) would be questioned and the All Blacks’ results between now and 2019 would also play a major role.
‘‘He’s very well placed and is a very strong candidate,’’ Tew said. ‘‘He’s a great coach, he’s a great bloke. He believes deeply in what we’re trying to do with that team both on and off the field. If you broke the stats down he’s probably got the highest win ratio of any All Blacks assistant coach. He’s been there through a very rich vein of form and he’s got to take a lot of credit for that.
‘‘Ultimately, that will be a decision for the board to make.’’