Why Foster needs to make the right calls
Is 36 players for the All Blacks’ three tests against Tonga and Fiji overkill? Probably. All Blacks coach Ian Foster clearly felt it was necessary, and having convinced the NZ Rugby board, the deal was done.
Barring a catastrophic meltdown, the fixtures in July should serve as stepping stones to the Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship tests which could, potentially, result in NZ Rugby extending Foster’s contract through to the 2023 World Cup in France.
Until that happens, he must walk a tightrope. NZ Rugby, presumably, won’t decide until after the Rugby Championship. He needs success against Australia, South Africa and Argentina before taking the group on its tour of the northern hemisphere.
Last year the All Blacks produced mixed results during Foster’s first season in control; the retention of the Bledisloe Cup, which included a record victory over the Wallabies in Sydney, and winning the Tri Nations title put trophies in the cabinet and enabled spin doctors for the defence to pump out the positives.
Dig deeper, though, and NZ Rugby’s apparent reticence to immediately retain him until 2023 is understandable.
The first-ever defeat to Argentina last year lingers in the memory.
Earlier, the All Blacks were fortunate to salvage a draw in their opening game against the Wallabies, followed by a loss to the same opponent in Brisbane a month later.
Three wins, two losses and a draw. A modest return for a team that NZ Rugby markets as one of the most successful in world sport.
Foster’s transition from assistant to head coach coincided with the pandemic which, in turn, created uncertainty and the government’s decision to not allow Tri Nations games to be played in New Zealand was unhelpful.
It could have been All Blacks
Many feel that Foster still has something to prove.
worse; if the world champion Springboks, a team with the best record against the All Blacks, had bothered to show up their success rate could have dipped below 50 percent.
Foster couldn’t pick everyone he wanted for this first squad of 2021, but some big names will return at different times later this year.
Captain Sam Cane, Joe Moody and Ofa Tuungafasi will mend their broken bodies. TJ
Perenara will be available from August, but the injured Jack Goodhue won’t be back until 2021.
Although he will refresh this squad after the July tests, Foster will rely on most of the players he named on Monday to help the All Blacks do what’s expected.
Which is to win games. It could be enough to convince the NZ Rugby board he’s the man to help the All Blacks win back the Webb Ellis Cup in 2023.
NZ Rugby has learned from past mistakes. In 2019 it was guilty of not maintaining regular contact with potential replacements for Steve Hansen.
Dave Rennie said by the time NZ Rugby asked if he was interested in applying, he was already sold on the Rugby Australia job.
He later signed through to the 2023 World Cup.
Foster’s supporters may say he, like Rennie, should be locked in through to the global tournament; they will argue it enables him to plan ahead, to develop players and to build trust in his coaching team.
There is another side to this. Many feel that Foster still has something to prove, especially with Scott Robertson poised to re-sign with NZ Rugby and the Crusaders.
NZ Rugby must be prudent. By allowing Foster to select so many players, there’s no shortage of talent to create a blueprint for 2021. It’s up to him to get results.
If not, NZ Rugby must be bold. Make the job contestable and may the best man win.