New All Blacks coach Ian Foster feared the All Blacks’ dud World Cup in Japan would hurt his chances of winning the job.
Steve Hansen’s long-term assistant beat out Crusaders coach Scott Robertson in a two-horse race, with New Zealand Rugby initially offering him a two-year contract.
But Foster, who on Wednesday was confirmed as the new coach, has admitted he feared the All Blacks’ semifinal defeat to England would dent his chances, after the side barely fired a shot in a limp performance and were comprehensively beaten.
“I believed I was capable, I always have. The eight years that I’ve been here I’ve learned a lot of things and developed as a coach. That gave me a lot of confidence but you never go in knowing that you’re going to get anything,” Foster told Newstalk ZB.
“Particularly losing the semifinal of a World Cup put a bit of a dampener on things but I still wanted to put my hand up. I still felt I had a lot to offer. My angle was, the only thing I can control is to go in [to the interview] with a plan and a [coaching] group that I’m totally passionate would add value to this magnificent team.
“You go in with the attitude that if this is the plan for them [the panel] then I’m great and if not then obviously there’s one out there that is pretty good.”
Foster also had a few words for Robertson, who had little time to digest the news he’d missed out on the gig, given he was back putting the Crusaders through their pre-season paces in Christchurch on Wednesday.
Robertson signed with NZR and the Crusaders through 2021 in February and was the public’s overwhelming preference to replace Hansen, according to numerous polls.
NZR overlooking him for the job also confused overseas media, with one Australian journalist saying “rival teams will be relieved the Kiwis didn’t give the job to Scott Robertson”.
“The reason it’s been such a tough process is because of the calibre of him [Robertson]. It’s clear and obvious to everyone that he probably had the skillset to do it as well,” Foster told Newstalk ZB.
“I guess we both had strong support from both sides of the fence and sometimes that can divide you as people. This is nothing personal and I feel for him but at the end of the day, the decision has been made and now it is time for everyone to put differences aside and get in behind this team that we love.”
Source: Stuff
Featured Image: All Blacks coach Ian Foster. Photo / Stuff
