Question: Is NZ Rugby a disaster or a disaster?

Ian Foster continues as All Black coach after weeks of turmoil. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

OPINION:

Who would want to be the coach of the All Blacks? I wouldn't.

I'm not saying I wouldn't want the job because of all the scrutiny and criticism that comes from fans and the media. That'd be fine.

I'm not saying I wouldn't want the job because of the headaches that must come with managing professional sportspeople and their egos. I'd keep them under control.

I'm saying I wouldn't want the job because it would mean I'd have to be on the payroll at New Zealand Rugby.

An outfit I think has shown itself to be completely Mickey Mouse these last few weeks with its handling of the All Blacks coaching shambles.

I was convinced on Monday this week that NZ Rugby wanted to get rid of Ian Foster.

I'd got that very strong impression from the so-called media conference NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson did on Zoom from South Africa after the win over the Springboks on Sunday morning.

It was Sunday afternoon New Zealand-time when Robinson got online, in what I gather was a bit of a rushed last-minute affair, and basically said nothing but said everything - or so I thought. And I was convinced from that, that Foster was toast.

But fast-forward to yesterday, and we have another media conference but, at least this time, NZ Rugby actually said something.

And that was that Ian Foster was being retained as All Blacks head coach until the end of the Rugby World Cup in France next year.

I still rethink Razor Robertson is a way better person for the job, but changing things now with just a little over a year until the World Cup wouldn't make sense to me.

But that isn't everyone's view. An online poll today says NZ Rugby has made a mistake keeping Foster on as head coach. So there seems to be a pretty strong view out there that NZ Rugby has got it wrong again.

But I think the criticism needs to go further than just the decision on the coaching.

All the talk by chief executive Mark Robinson yesterday about them being an organisation that looks after its people - what a load of nonsense.

I don't think there would be anyone in the country who doesn't think Ian Foster has been hung out to dry by the outfit he works for over the last few weeks. And I don't think I was on my own thinking, after the gibberish from Mark Robinson on Sunday, that NZ Rugby was giving all the signals that it had lost faith in Foster.

But then yesterday, the same guy was going on about having "huge amounts of confidence" in him.

I know Foster himself looked pretty chuffed yesterday, but if this is the way his employers treat him, he's not going to know where he stands from day to day is he?

Either that, or Mark Robinson needs some training on how to say what he actually means. Because, as far as I'm concerned, he definitely said one thing on Sunday and something completely different yesterday.

Which, as one sportswriter is saying, has made him look weak and indecisive. And it's being suggested that the way some of the senior players came out after the win against the Springboks on Sunday and backed Foster, could be evidence that the bad blood between NZ Rugby and the All Blacks over the Silver Lake investment deal may still be there.

Either way, I think NZ Rugby needs to launch another one of its famous reviews and, this time, take a long, hard look at itself - because more and more these last few weeks, it has shown itself to be an outfit that is nothing short of arrogant and out of touch.

And if I were the Silver Lake private equity people and I'd just put $200 million into NZ Rugby, I'd be far more concerned about the Mickey Mouse outfit running the sport in this country than what the All Blacks may or may not be doing on the field. Way more concerned.