Foster: ‘I’ve got a lot of belief’

Ian Foster says he understands why supporters are upset and frustrated after disappointing losses to Ireland and France, and as All Blacks coach he is ‘‘always accountable’’ for the performance of the team.

Anti-Foster sentiment has reached fever pitch in the wake of the All Blacks’ disappointing end to the year, with Crusaders coach Scott Robertson retaining strong support as an alternative option.

Foster fronted on Sky Sport’s Breakdown on Monday to discuss the All Blacks’ season, and was asked by host Jeff Wilson how he would deal with the ‘‘noise’’ surround the coaching job at present.

‘‘I’ve got a job to do,’’ Foster said. ’’I’m very passionate about what I do with this group. I’ve got a lot of belief in what we’ve achieved this year. I’m not going to be swayed off task by a couple of performances at the end of the year, where we’ve won 80 per cent of our tests and lost the last two.

‘‘They’re amazingly good lessons for us. We don’t want to receive those lessons, but it’s my job to make sure we decipher that, pull it apart and figure out how we learn from that.’’

The All Blacks and New Zealand Rugby will conduct their routine end-of season reviews, which might pinpoint some areas of concern, but Foster said he accepted that the buck stopped with him.

‘‘I know that everyone bays for blood at times like this, and that’s the nature of the job,’’ he said. ‘‘But, our goal is to make sure that we’ve got the right plan going forward.

‘‘As an All Black coach I’m always accountable, but every test is important. So, it’s not just about building for the World Cup, it’s about getting next year right.’’