Ian Foster’s “I am strong, I am resilient” response to the media, and therefore the public, on Friday sounded awfully like something he may have said earlier to the New Zealand Rugby board which would (or should) have grilled him far more intensely than reporters did.
Good. Foster clearly knows he needs to be accountable to both, and after an information vacuum (as far as the media and public are concerned) since Saturday’s 32-22 defeat to Ireland in Wellington, that has finally been filled.
With what, though? With defiance, at least, and at this point the New Zealand public would probably take anything it can get after the shambolic handling, from a public relations perspective, of the aftermath of the series defeat.
Foster also mentioned a plan to improve, although with two Tests against the world champions in South Africa looming, an increasingly sceptical public will require tangible evidence of that before agreeing the All Blacks are on the right track with the World Cup only 13 months away. And it may get a lot worse in terms of on-field results yet.
Ian Foster gave an opening address to media at his Rugby Championship squad announcement after copping heavy criticism following his side's series loss to Ireland. (Source: 1News)
Foster remains in charge - and he can probably count himself as fortunate. Not all of his coaches appear to be on the same safe footing, with the spotlight in particular on John Plumtree, Brad Mooar, Greg Feek and Scott McLeod.
Sam Cane remains skipper. Again, good. Cane was thrown under the bus in Wellington when replaced with 15 minutes to go and the Test and series still in the balance. To replace him now as captain, with no other obvious changes apart from the dropping of prop Karl Tu’inukuafe (an odd selection from the start) and loose forward Pita Gus Sowakula, would have been approaching cruel and unusual punishment and a public humiliation.
Cane, an honest man and player, more than anyone knows the importance of the All Blacks’ “team-first” mantra but replacing him at this point without making any other significant changes (yet) would have risked the fine balance of internal team dynamics because, internally and externally, he would have been perceived as a scapegoat.
A decision to demote Cane may have been popular with some sections of the public but it wouldn’t have been within a squad probably suffering from something approaching a crisis of confidence. Such decisions from coaches can undermine trust and unpick the delicate and complicated fabric of team unity.
So, after four defeats in his last five Tests, Foster recognises there is a need for change which goes further than dropping two wildcard selections for the Irish series.
He is working “behind the scenes” on other things – presumably alterations to his assistant coaches line-up – an indication he still has the full backing of the NZR board.
Foster said the right things the right way and keeping Cane in his current role is also the right thing to do right now.
And yet, this is probably where the All Blacks should have been on Sunday or Monday – a day or two after the Wellington defeat, rather than five days later.
It all adds up to a sense of time slipping away, of opportunities not taken and lessons not learned.
Strength and resilience are non-negotiables for the head coach of an outfit that has designs on being the most dominant rugby team in the world and in fact was for a long time. But so are ideas, insights, techniques and the ability to analyse in order to be a step ahead.
More to the point, so are results.
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