The Herald looks back on Ian Foster's time in charge of the All Blacks so far and how the side performed in each test.
Getting the job
December 11, 2019, the white smoke is seen at NZR House. New Zealand has a new All Blacks coach.
Rugby: The high and lows of the All Blacks under Ian Foster
NZ Herald
19 mins to read
All Blacks coach Ian Foster shakes hands with Ireland captain Johnny Sexton. Photosport
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Foster's victory was one for continuity, New Zealand Rugby's board and interviewing panel deciding to go with a man who has been involved with the All Blacks since 2012 rather than the fresh outlook Robertson would provide.
"I feel truly privileged and honoured to be given this opportunity and I can't wait to lead the team into the next chapter of what is a remarkable legacy," Foster said.
"I'm incredibly proud of what we have achieved in the All Blacks over the last eight years and I'm excited and energised by a new coaching team who will join me.
Rugby: 10 things to know about new All Blacks coach Ian Foster
"It's incredibly humbling to be appointed to the job and I have a strong desire to serve the jersey well and represent New Zealand to the best of my ability."
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He'd have a bit of a wait for his first test.
2020
All Blacks 16 Australia 16 - October 11, Sky Stadium
345 days after the World Cup bronze final against Wales in Tokyo, the All Blacks returned to the field for their first test under Foster. And it was a home day test - one of the few positives of the pandemic. With time expired, amazingly both teams still had it there for the taking. Australia shaped up for a drop goal but didn't take it before the All Blacks went down the other end and did the same thing.
Richie Mo'unga briefly stood in the pocket with the posts right in front of him but he didn't receive the ball. Instead, the test ended with the ball being spread out wide and knocked on by the All Blacks metres short of the line.
Foster's record: 0-0-1 (0 percent winning rate)
All Blacks 27 Australia 7 - October 18, Eden Park
Foster's tenure was back in the good books after a stalled start in Wellington. It was an overall solid team performance by the All Blacks but Caleb Clarke was the focus of the plaudits.
Foster's record: 1-0-1 (50 percent)
Ian Foster's coaching status:
All Blacks 43 Australia 5 - October 31, Sydney
The near-perfect performance from the All Blacks in the clear highlight of the 2020 season. The pack was immense, the defence was unbreakable and when they got a sniff on attack they looked unstoppable. Richie Mo'unga played a near-faultless test, scoring two excellent tries and was a threat whenever he touched the ball. New Zealand's biggest ever win over Wallabies.
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Foster's record: 2-0-1 (66.6 percent)
All Blacks 22 Australia 24 - November 7, Brisbane
For such a short maiden test season Foster faced two tried and tested post-match debates around drop goals and the contact with the head rule. First Ofa Tuungafasi and then Aussie rookie Lachlan Swinton were sent off after hitting the head of an attacker while attempting a tackle. Both sides played with 13 men following subsequent yellow cards as well. For the All Blacks on the back of the previous effort in Sydney, it appeared to be just a blip. Surely the only loss of the season with two tests against Argentina coming up.
Foster's record: 2-1-1 (50 percent)
All Blacks 15 Argentina 25, November 14, Parramatta
Argentina looked clearly up for it and the All Blacks didn't at all. But being more passionate and committed only gets you so far. Argentina played smarter rugby and converted every chance they got with Nicolas Sanchez scoring all their points.
It resulted in the Pumas' maiden triumph over the All Blacks in their 30th attempt and a well deserved one. Considering they had spent two weeks in quarantine and hadn't played a test a match in 402 days makes it down right remarkable.
Will go down as one of the biggest defeats in the All Blacks' professional era. Not great to have on the CV for Foster and Cane.
Ian Foster's coaching status:
Foster's record: 2-2-1 (40 percent)
All Blacks 38 Argentina 0 - November 28, Newcastle
Foster proved he can turn a side around in quick time with a strong response to the Parramatta shocker by blanking Argentina for the first time. The All Blacks finished an up and down season with a near perfect finish as they exacted the defeat two weeks earlier against the Pumas and all but securing the Tri Nations in the process.
Foster's record: 3-2-1 (50 percent)
2021
All Blacks 102 Tonga 0, Saturday July 3, Mt Smart Stadium
It was far from the ideal start to the season. The original July window schedule was to play perennial Six Nations wooden spooners Italy in two tests (ok that doesn't sound ideal either) and Fiji in a solo test which was changed due to pesky old Covid-19 – more on that soon. Instead, it was Tonga then two tests against Fiji. Sadly it was Tonga B.
Tonga called upon 13 players to make their debut, with several of their top players not released from their European clubs while others were still in quarantine ahead of more important World Cup qualifiers against Samoa. The All Blacks ran in four tries in the first 10 minutes of the match and it looked like the record tally of 145 points against Japan in 1995 was possibly on the cards of being broken. It was barely a training run let alone a contest.
Foster's record: 4-2-1 (57 percent)
All Blacks 57 Fiji 23, Saturday July 10, Forsyth Barr Stadium
The captain merry-go-round of 2021 was on just two tests in with Aaron Smith leading the side out for the first time. Another 80 minutes and the All Blacks were still unable to shake-off that annoying early season rust. The story of the match was Fiji's ability to dominate the All Blacks at the breakdown and the collision area. The All Blacks did finish strong with Dane Coles claiming four tries off the bench in the second half – three of those coming from lineout drives.
Foster's record: 5-2-1 (62 percent)
All Blacks 60 Fiji 13 - Saturday July 17, FMG Stadium
Wet and blustery conditions compared to under the roof the previous weekend but despite that, the All Blacks looked much better in the second encounter with Fiji. Richie Mo'unga proved Ian Foster is forever going to have to toss a coin every week for the 10 jersey after playing a hand in four tries before he was subbed off early in the second half. Sevu Reece scored a hat-trick and the All Blacks stepped up at scrum time and on defence. Travelling in the right direction for the Bledisloe Cup series.
Foster's record: 6-2-1 (66.6 percent)
All Blacks 33 Wallabies 25 - Saturday August 7, Eden Park
The first big challenge of 2021 and the All Blacks didn't exactly wow at Eden Park. The first half hour was stop-start throughout as both sides tried to find some rhythm after three weeks off. The All Blacks didn't get out of third gear and didn't need to against an inexperienced Australian side where Anton Lienert-Brown had more caps than the entire Wallabies backline.
Wallabies first five-eighth Noah Lolesio had a shocker, kicking two from seven, and the All Blacks went out to a 25-point lead in the second half (at which point this writer left the stands) before Australia closed it to a more respectable gap late.
Foster's record: 7-2-1 (70 percent)
All Black 57 Wallabies 22 – Saturday August 14, Eden Park
Not the biggest crowd at Eden Park and no doubt fans would have been kicking themselves as the country entered lockdown the following week and rugby crowds in Auckland were banished for the rest of the year. They were probably put off by the expected result - Wallabies never win at Eden Park - but it was an entertaining test. The All Blacks locked away the Bledisloe Cup for a 19th straight year and stretched their unbeaten record at home against the Wallabies to 27 tests.
It was 21-15 at halftime but a 36-7 second half saw the All Blacks make it a record score. Loose forwards Ardie Savea and Akira Ioane brought a physical intensity all night while Brodie Retallick proved he was back to his best. The All Blacks didn't let up sending a big message to the Wallabies ahead of the third test in Perth.
Foster's record: 8-2-1 (73 percent)
Ian Foster's coaching status:
New deal
Foster signed a two-year contract extension with New Zealand Rugby, after much conjecture. The New Zealand Rugby gives Foster and his management team security as they prepare to lead the All Blacks for 14 weeks away from home.
All Blacks 38 Wallabies 21 – Sunday September 5, Optus Stadium
Jordie Barrett became the sixth All Black to be sent off and the third in three years when his foot collected the face of Marika Koroibete in the 28th minute. The five previous times an All Black got their marching orders - the side lost. But a new rule meant Barrett, the second family member to see red in Perth, could be replaced after 20 minutes and that meant Damian McKenzie entered the fray after halftime when the All Blacks led 18-0.
It was a great advert for daytime rugby with 60,000 fans turning up in Perth after the test was delayed a week by New Zealand Rugby. Nine tries were scored in total and the All Blacks secured yet another sweep of the Wallabies. And the red card was rescinded a few days later. The perfect result.
Foster's record: 9-2-1 (75 percent)
Ian Foster's coaching status:
All Blacks 39 Argentina 0 - Sunday September 12, CBUS Super Stadium
10 months earlier the Pumas pulled off their greatest ever win to claim their first ever victory over the All Blacks. They never had a sniff in this one. Beauden Barrett's flick ball for Luke Jacobson's first try was a thing of beauty and the All Blacks rolled on from there to produce four more tries to take it to 19 in three matches. Once again the All Blacks big men were frequent in the middle of the park and equally physical at the break-down. What more would you expect from a side led by Brodie Retallick for the first time?
Foster's record: 10-2-1 (77 percent)
All Blacks 36 Argentina 13 - Saturday September 18, Suncorp Stadium
An underwhelming second half but the damage was done early on as the All Blacks put the marker down across the opening 60 minutes. Always leave room for improvement, they say. The win did get the All Blacks back to number one as well, which I guess means bragging rights. It was a chance for some second or third choice players to impress with Hoskins Sotutu, Ethan Blackadder, Samisoni Taukei'aho and Tupou Vaa'i doing just that. Damian McKenzie showed the All Blacks have another reliable option at 10 - for the rest of 2021 at least.
Foster's record: 11-2-1 (78.6 percent)
All Blacks 19 South Africa 17 - Saturday September 25, QLD Country Bank Stadium
All the talk ahead of the 100th test between the two great rivals was that South Africa's forward dominated and kick-heavy gameplan seen throughout 2021 would be no match for the run happy All Blacks. Well, it almost proved to be the winning formula with the All Blacks coughing up ball and referee Luke Pearce happy to stop play regularly with 26 penalties. If you ranked the 100 encounters this one would probably be near the bottom of the list but it at least had a thrilling ending with Jordie Barrett capping off a superb night with the boot by kicking the match-winning penalty from 43 metres with three minutes remaining. Another Rugby Championship secured for the All Blacks.
Foster's record: 12-2-1 (80 percent)
Ian Foster's coaching status:
All Blacks 29 South Africa 31 - Saturday October 2, CBUS Super Stadium
Jordie Barrett was almost the hero for the second straight week only to be denied when replacement Boks playmaker Elton Jantjies kicked the penalty in the final play of the test to cap off a thrilling test. The Boks win snapped their three-match losing run – their first since 2016. It also ended the All Blacks' nine-game unbeaten streak, and robbed them of the world No 1 ranking they held for all of two weeks.
In the end the All Blacks were left to rue a lack of composure and costly discipline at the death. On the back of English referee Matthew Carley, the Boks piggybacked their way down field where Jantjies added his penalty to a drop goal five minutes earlier. The All Blacks were denied a Rugby Championship sweep and handed their first defeat of 2021.
Foster's record: 12-3-1 (75 percent)
All Blacks 104 USA 14 - Sunday October 24, FedEx Field
29 seconds in, the All Blacks scored through the weak defence and it was clear what sort of day it was going to be. It finished 16 tries to two and the only positive was the fact no All Blacks were injured heading to the European leg of the tour. In the end, it was a question of who did a better job at destroying America's morale in such a short time in Washington - the All Blacks or Donald Trump.
Foster's record: 13-3-1 (76.4 percent)
All Blacks 54 Wales 16 - Sunday October 31, Principality Stadium
After bringing up 100 points in Washington, it was Beauden Barrett's chance to celebrate the milestone in Cardiff as he ran out for his 100th test. Wales were kind to provide him a gift in the third minute courtesy of a Gareth Anscombe intercept. The All Blacks were in control of the entire test but really turned it on in the second half with a Will Jordan chip and chase try and some superb passing that set up Sevu Reece for another.
Unfortunately, that's as good as they got on the Northern Tour as the following three weeks they failed to reach those heights again.
Foster's record: 14-3-1 (77.7 percent)
All Blacks 47 Italy 9 – Sunday November 6, Olympico Stadio
It's a hard business being the All Blacks. Imagine Manchester City beating Norwich 4-0 but getting criticised for their mistakes outside of the times they got the ball in the back of the net. But to be honest this was a dreadful watch. It was mistake, mistake, penalty, mistake, penalty, flurry of tries, halftime, and repeat for the second half. Sam Cane at least got an 80 minute run in return as captain and Finlay Christie impressed with an almost full game when Brad Weber left after failing an HIA.
Foster's record: 15-3-1 (79 percent)
All Blacks 20 Ireland 29 - Sunday November 14, Aviva Stadium
There were some groans about the All Blacks not playing England on this tour but why worry about Twickenham when you can have this test and this occasion more regularly?
The Irish were superb, the All Blacks were staunch on defence making umpteen and a half tackles each to take a halftime lead but in the end a few key moments went the way of the home team. Rieko Ioane threw a slight forward pass to his brother which saw a try denied and the All Blacks, down six, uncharacteristically took the three points.
It was a well-deserved win for Ireland who have become real rivals of the All Blacks and play positive rugby. Great test. It was so good to watch the TMO stopping play regularly to let the referee catch a glimpse of the action. Could have done without the whinging from both sides though.
Foster's record: 15-4-1 (75 percent)
All Blacks 25 France 40 - Sunday November 21, Stade de France
A brilliant performance by the French as the All Blacks ended a year with back-to-back defeats for the first time since the 1999 World Cup. Foster's men did an impressive job to get back into the test after trailing 24-6 at the break, closing it to a two-point game before a yellow card to Ardie Savea and a David Havili intercept pass gave the test back to the home side.
The match ended a gruelling run for the All Blacks which saw them play 10 tests in 13 weeks, 87 days on the road amongst Covid travelling restrictions and regular testing.
Foster's record: 15-5-1 (71 percent)
Ian Foster's coaching status:
2022
All Blacks 42 Ireland 19 - Saturday July 2, Eden Park
Isn't so easy when you're playing the All Blacks at home is it Ireland? In stark contrast to their northern tour malaise, the All Blacks launched the season in style. Their 28-year Eden Park record preserved thanks to a desperate defensive display as much as the sparkling attacking moments, the All Blacks took an immediate stranglehold on this highly-anticipated three-test series against Ireland despite Covid robbing them of three players and four coaches.
Foster's record: 16-5-1 (73 percent)
All Blacks 12 Ireland 23 - Saturday July 9, Forsyth Barr Stadium
One week after being outplayed, Ireland rode the All Blacks mistakes to secure their maiden win on New Zealand shores - 117 years in the making, in their 14th attempt. The All Blacks did their best to desperately scramble for 50 minutes while one man short after replacement prop Angus Ta'avao copped a red card for an accidental head clash. That incident led to a confusing situation in which the All Blacks clashed with officials over Ardie Savea being confined to the sideline for the remainder of the match.
Foster's men fought gallantly throughout but as the match wore on and fatigue set in, attacking errors compounded as they attempted to launch an improbable comeback.
Foster's record: 16-6-1 (69.5 percent)
All Blacks 22 Ireland 32 - Saturday July 16, Westpac Stadium
Foster's tenure quickly moved into a tailspin. An inspired second-half comeback, where they scored three tries including a stunning 80-metre effort from Will Jordan to evoke thoughts of a miraculous turnaround, mitigated the damage, somewhat. Yet the All Blacks were left to rue a disastrous first half performance that consigned them to a deep dark hole.
It meant the first time in 24 years the All Blacks lost successive home tests – John Hart's 1998 side the last team to endure such a run, and the first time since 1994 they lost a home series.
Foster's record: 16-7-1 (66.7 percent)
'Unacceptable'
New Zealand Rugby boss Mark Robinson labels the All Blacks' first home series defeat in 27 years unacceptable and says work will begin immediately with Foster to grasp how the team reached this position.
Coaching changes
On July 24, the All Blacks confirms two major changes to their coaching group following their test series loss to Ireland.
Crusaders and Fiji forwards coach Jason Ryan joins the All Blacks as their new forwards coach. The All Blacks cut forwards coach John Plumtree and attack coach Brad Mooar, both of whom were contracted through to the 2023 World Cup.
Right man for the All Blacks, for now
A week later, Robinson does an extensive interview with Newstalk ZB's Jason Pine.
Asked if he maintains that Foster is the right person to be head coach of the All Blacks, Robinson chose not to comment on Foster's future but reiterated that he was the man for the South African tour.
All Blacks 10 South Africa 26 - Sunday August 7, Mbombela Stadium
The pressure was mounting even more on Foster as the All Blacks headed to South Africa for the first time since 2018. It seemed the pressure was getting to them. The Springboks dominated for the entire game despite losing Faf de Klerk in the opening minute. The All Blacks never looked like scoring until a late Caleb Clarke break set up Shannon Frizell for their only try and got them to double figures. There was some contention for South Africa's contest for the high ball which saw Springboks wing Kurt-Lee Arendse sent off late after taking out Beauden Barrett in mid-air.
Foster's record: 16-8-1 (64 percent)
Ian Foster's coaching status:
All Blacks 35 South Africa 23 - Sunday August 14, Ellis Park
The All Blacks finally put in a performance every New Zealand fan would be proud of, applying the antidote to South Africa's negative rugby with ball-in-hand football and a much-improved performance in the scrum, breakdown, maul and aerial battles. Richie Mo'unga had one of his best games in the black No 10 jersey, while Rieko Ioane (named man of the match), Sam Whitelock, Samisoni Taukei'aho and under-fire captain Sam Cane all put in massive shifts.
The question is, however, how much of the improvement can be credited to Foster, or was new forwards coach Jason Ryan's influence finally bearing fruit? The Springboks' strange selections, especially benching the dominant Malcolm Marx at hooker, as well as their underwhelming performance at home also added a few more question marks to the All Blacks' win. Regardless, it was exactly what Foster and the All Blacks needed, and would make NZR's decision on whether to retain the embattled head coach that much more difficult.
Foster's record: 17-8-1 (65 percent)
