New Zealand Rugby order snap review for under fire Foster

Ian Foster's role as the head coach of the All Blacks is in doubt.

Following the series loss to Ireland, New Zealand Rugby launched an urgent review after cancelling a planned press conference that Foster was to attend.

RZR chief executive Mark Robinson deemed the result of the series as “not acceptable” as New Zealand succumbed to series loss at home for just the third time in their history.

Robinson issued a short statement a day after New Zealand’s 22-32 loss:

“Congratulations to the Irish team for their well-deserved win last night but clearly the performance across the series for the All Blacks was not acceptable as we know they have reflected. We all know there is a huge amount of work to do,” Robinson said.

“Our focus now is to work with Ian and his team to understand thoroughly in advance of the Rugby Championship what is needed to improve performance and where to go from here. We will begin this work immediately.”

Since Ian Foster took over the role as head coach from Steve Hansen, the All Blacks fell to their first-ever defeat to Argentina in 2020 and have lost four of their last five Tests and eight of 24 under Foster – unacceptable by his country’s lofty expectations and have dropped to a record-low fourth in the world rankings.

Foster is contracted as the All Blacks head coach until the end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, after signing an extension last year.

New Zealand last changed their head coach between World Cups in 2002, when an under-performing Wayne Smith was succeeded by John Mitchell.

The All Blacks' kick off their Rugby Championship defence three weeks from now as they head to South Africa for back-to-back test match against the World Champion Springboks before tests against Argentina and Australia.

New Zealand do have options if they are to replace Foster. Joe Schmidt stepped in for Forster, who had COVID, for the first test match and officially starts work ahead of the Rugby Championship as a selector. 

Crusaders coach Scott Robertson has overseen six successful Super Rugby campaigns with the side and is contracted with the Crusaders and NZR.

In the post-match press conference Foster was quizzed about his future, to which he replied: "I just want to talk about the test match."