NEW ZEALAND HAVE sacked two of Ian Foster’s assistant coaches and brought in Crusaders’ Jason Ryan in a widely expected shake-up following the All Blacks’ series loss to Ireland.
Forwards coach John Plumtree — who previously held the same role with Ireland under Joe Schmidt — and attack coach Brad Mooar have been let go following “robust and in-depth conversations” about ways to improve performance, NZR said in a statement.
Ryan has been the forwards coach for the champion Crusaders team for the past six years, in which they have won six Super Rugby titles, as well as being the Fiji forwards coach.
“Jason is a proven performer with plenty of experience at international level,” All Blacks coach Ian Foster said.
“Last year we witnessed first-hand the impact he has made on Fiji’s forwards, adding to his continual growth as the forwards coach of the Crusaders. His appointment now is clearly with an eye to the future and to (the Rugby World Cup) 2023.”
Schmidt, now an All Blacks selector, has also taken on a key analysis role with the All Blacks and will work with Foster on overall strategy and attack play.
There was a huge outcry in New Zealand following the 2-1 series loss to Ireland, the first time they have lost a series to the Irish, with rugby pundits blaming poor coaching and a poorly constructed game plan, and calling for heads to roll.
Foster kept his position as head coach but announced he had parted ways with Plumtree and Mooar.
“Right now, I am really feeling for two fine men who are great rugby coaches that made an enormous contribution to the All Blacks,” Foster said.
Mooar was coaching Scarlets in Wales when Foster sought him to be an assistant coach in 2019 and NZR was forced to buy him out of his contract.
Foster was chosen ahead of Crusaders coaching guru Scott “Razor” Robertson to take over the All Blacks when Steve Hansen retired following the 2019 World Cup.
No respect for Foster!! You can’t have your coaching team sacked but stay on as head – if the team he picked, worked with and backed week in week out weren’t good enough he should have fallen on his own sword with them
Wow this seems much messier than it would have been to sack the whole coaching ticket and move on.
I think the captain should have went down with the ship, the 2 boys made scapegoats it seems. Good – hopefully it continues for another 14 months!
@Cian O’Toole: by Captain did you mean Sam Cane? Sam Cane is still a good player though, just not a suitable captain, he didn’t appoint himself. Don’t think he should’ve gone down but I do think he probably should lose the Captaincy, would probably bring his game back up. Of course, they’ll need a new Captain, I’ve no idea who that should be.
@SPQH: No the captain of the ship refers to the man in charge, ie Foster
@Phil Redmond: yes I was referring to Foster. I think it reflects pretty bad that he was happy to see half of his coaching ticket walk the plank for his failures. He’s lining up Cane to be the next fall man!
Don’t think Joe will need to do too much analysing to identify where improvement can be made. After all it was he who built, drilled, bullied, call it what you will , the foundations and starting point of Irelands success. It was built in the image of the ABs accuracy, consistency, intensity and repeatability in possession and suffocating line speed in defense. However, what he chose – maybe did not have the time – not to add to our armoury was an offloading game and crucially making handling, stepping, passing skills a requirement for and by all players. AF appears to have challenged, empowered his whole squad to get involved in all facets of the game and it is working not only by producing better quality rugby but also producing more motivated players.
They’ll have another “review” after the rugby championship.. The issue is everyone around the coach but not the coack himself.. Never heard such nonsense… Can only imagine what the new Zealand public think of Foster now
@Stuart Collins: yeah it’s daft isn’t it? They seem to be backing Ian Foster (they themselves appointed him) but now not trusting his decisions to pick his coaching team. The best thing would have been to leave it as is and give him and his coaching team a chance to redeem themselves in the rugby championship.
@Stuart Collins: the one thing Foster has New Zealand doing really well, better than anyone even France, is counter attack and allowing individual’s to use their insane skill to manufacture something. Maybe it’s not that intentional. This is the thing Schmidt’s Ireland didn’t do at all toward the end, could be interesting few months if Joe gets them drilled
@Ciaran Kennedy: during Hansens tine as head coach, foster was considered to be responsible for the ABs attack and other tactics. There has been a lot of word in NZ the assitant coaches have not been up to scratch.
I suppose the tour to SA will be his final test as to wether he is or isnt head coach material.
Pressure of a demanding public who are used to winning and winning well.
Ian Foster should be gone and the captaincy needs to be given to Whitelock, Retallick or Savea because they are guaranteed their places because they actually play well for the All Blacks unlike Cane.