Foster ignoring distractions, sights set on SA

Current All Black boss Ian Foster has his sights trained on the future amid the surrounding turmoil in New Zealand rugby. 

The week commenced with the announcement that assistant coaches John Plumtree and Brad Mooar had been axed from the staff while Foster was given the opportunity to continue in his role. However, should the All Blacks’ imminent tour to South Africa go awry, it is difficult to imagine Foster not being cast out into the cold with his former assistants.  

The All Blacks face the world champion Springboks in Nelspruit on 6 August before moving on to the fortress of Ellis Park in Johannesburg. It is a daunting task against a Bok team in good shape who will strut their stuff at altitude as well. 

When asked whether his job is on the line if his troops stumble in Africa, Foster responded with: 

"It's not something I think about. I think about just doing the best I can in my role," Foster told reporters in Wellington on Tuesday. 

"My job is to get excited about taking the team to South Africa. 

"We're not panicking. I'm not sure about the rest of the people." 

Foster also said that no ultimatum had been delivered to him from above. 

"I don't need them to tell me what we want to do," he said. 

"We want to play well. With all the emotions around when you lose a series, it's easy for people to get scratchy and poke holes, and I get all that and accept all that. 

"But it doesn't change our job, which is to get the group to play well. 

"We need to make a statement about who we are as All Blacks and the standard that comes with that," he added.