Former boss David Moffett has called out New Zealand Rugby for what he considers is a failure to act decisively on the future of Ian Foster, labelling the treatment of the embattled All Blacks coach "absolutely deplorable".
Foster's future at the All Blacks remains in limbo despite his side's dramatic 35-23 response at Ellis Park on Sunday morning.
Just hours after the team's victory, NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson fronted a bizarre press conference outlining that Foster's future will only be determined once the team arrives home from South Africa this week, but offered no insight into the likely outcome.
Robinson did, however, confirm that a NZR board meeting to determine Foster's fate was to be held "at some stage".
"The board is ultimately responsible for the appointment of the coach. That's to be determined in terms of timing," Robinson said.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Heather du Plessis-Allan, former NZR boss Moffett condemned Robinson and the rugby governing body over the Foster saga.
"I've heard a lot about this non-event that was the presser that he (Robinson) held and I think all he did was make things dramatically worse," Moffett said.
"Whether any of the fans think it would be Foster or it should be Scott Robertson, the fact of the matter remains that Foster has been left out to dry by Robinson and I don't think that's good enough.
"I think the average person would just sort of say, 'well, why don't you make a decision and either sack him or back him'."
New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson. Photo / Photosport
Foster admitted after the All Blacks' victory over the Springboks that he had "no idea" whether he would still be coaching the side when they play Argentina on 27 August.
Moffett, who has been critical of Robinson and NZR in the past especially following the All Blacks' disappointing start to the season, said the uncertainty around Foster's job has been "incompetent".
"I have no idea at all," Moffett said when asked if he thought a decision had already been made about Foster's future behind the scenes. "And by the sound of it, neither does Ian Foster, which I think is absolutely deplorable. This guy has been left hanging now for weeks and weeks.
"Unfortunately New Zealand Rugby is actually looking like they're a government department – can't make a decision, don't know what [they're doing].
"Oh we'll just hold a review then we'll hold another review. I mean the reviews are coming out of their ears. They should've already known what they were going to do. The fact that they didn't is incompetent."
Asked if the New Zealand public has been too hard on Foster, Moffett said it is a "very difficult situation" and public scrutiny is simply a reality of professional sport.
"It's a professional sport and it's all about results," Moffett said.
"If you have a look at the guy who has just gone to Manchester United, a guy called [Erik] ten Hag, I mean he's lost two in a row and there are already people there calling for his head. It just goes with the territory – you either succeed or you don't. I think that is just the reality of professional sport."
Moffett has previously called for Robinson to resign over what he said was a lack of accountability and not fronting up to the public amid the "chaos" in the organisation, following the All Blacks' historic series defeat to Ireland.
