All Blacks have what it takes to go all way

THE decision by New Zealand to announce a new coach of the All Blacks before a fouryear cycle has ended is quite sensational. As a neutral, you feel a bit for current coach Ian Foster going into the 2023 World Cup, with Scott Robertson named already as his successor as soon as the tournament is over.

However, when the win rate drops there is no nation where your lack of success will register more quickly than in New Zealand, and Foster’s 67 per cent is the worst in the professional era – and well behind the win ratios of Steve Hansen on 87, Graham Henry 85, John Mitchell 82, John Hart 76, and Wayne Smith 71.

Coming in the wake of the All Blacks double World Cup-winning golden era under Henry and Hansen makes the comparison even more difficult, but the reality is that Foster’s team isn’t as good as it was when Henry and Hansen were in charge.

One of the few blemishes on Hansen’s record was the 2019 World Cup semi-final when New Zealand came up against an England side that gave arguably the best Test match performance in its international history.

By comparison, Foster’s 2-1 home series defeat by Ireland last summer, followed by further losses in the Rugby Championship to South Africa, and a first loss at home to Argentina, were seen as an unacceptable decline in standards.

Forster stopped the slide with New Zealand undefeated in their next seven Tests, winning six, with one draw (against England at Twickenham last November), but that did not prevent Robertson’s appointment.

It left Foster’s bosses at NZR with one very difficult question hanging over them: What happens if he wins the World Cup?

Foster has called the decision “unnecessary”, and you can understand why he feels unhappy. The difference in your mental outlook is vast if you feel you have a chance of continuing in a position, as opposed to being told you are finished even if you lift the World Cup trophy!