KEY POINTS:
No doubt the mail handlers at the Chiefs and the NZRU are bracing themselves for a barrage of letters congratulating them on having the foresight to reappoint Ian Foster last year when the franchise was down on its luck.
Foster, who seemed to carry the can for all of the Chiefs' early season frailties, must surely now be viewed as the catalyst for the team's mid-season revival.
Such is the cult of the coach, many of those who suggested Foster deserved the bullet will now be queuing up to give him a medal. Or at least they should be.
The Chiefs have gone from the knacker's yard to dark horse courtesy of three straight bonus-point victories. They have run in 18 tries in those matches and are now firmly in play-off contention. Just two teams, the Crusaders and Sharks, have a better win-loss ratio.
With a bye this week, the Chiefs have two weeks to prepare for a showdown with the Crusaders in Hamilton. With the southern juggernaut potentially lacking both playmakers, Dan Carter and Stephen Brett, few will be dismissing the Chiefs' chances of winning that match.
If they do, they'll be odds-on to make the play-offs.
All hail Ian Foster, supercoach. Or something like that.
A team's success or failure is never as simple as how well the coach is performing. There are factors beyond any coach's control - the calibre of players under their tutelage, the quality of the opposition, injuries, refereeing decisions, weather, mischievous tea ladies. There are simply too many outside influences to attribute success or failure solely to the coach. And yet we all still do it.
Given the level of opprobrium aimed at Foster when the Chiefs were struggling, it's only fair now to shine the spotlight on what he has done right.
For starters, he hasn't panicked. He has remained consistent in selections and tactics. Foster tries to treat success and failure the same way. He doesn't over-react to the lows and he doesn't get carried away with the highs. The idea is to stick to the process, to analyse, to keep improving regardless of the weekend's result.
It can make for pretty dull copy, but it is the recipe for success.
Foster's demeanour at post-match press-conferences has remained the same: outwardly cheerful, thoughtful and - as far as coaches ever are - open. At times the strain has been evident and it has seemed he might crack, but he never has. Notably, he has never offered excuses, even when they have been ready-made, such as the team's harsh early injury toll.
Foster has used his resources well, giving vital playing time to pretty much his entire squad. Some of that has been dictated by injuries, but by no means all. When loose forwards Liam Messam, Sione Lauaki and Tanirau Latimer were off the pace early, Foster had no hesitation in promoting Faifili Levave and Tom Harding. Both draft players responded with impressive displays, while his original trio all improved when reinstated.
His handling of Lauaki was particularly effective. At the time, the big No 8's axing was explained as a way to improve his conditioning.
This seemed like mincing around the fact that he was playing like an overstuffed chook and had been dropped.
But the explanation allowed Lauaki to save face, and there is no doubting he has been much sharper since his return.
Foster's squad management has ensured his players all feel part of the team and means they won't be coming in cold if called upon in coming weeks. It has also allowed players such as Lelia Masaga to step up and become key contributors.
Compare Foster's approach with that of the David Nucifora and the Blues. How much game time have the likes of David Smith, Bryn Evans and Onosai'i Tololima-Auva'a received?
Another measure of coaching performance is improvement, both individually and collectively.
The Chiefs' collective improvement has been there for all to see but, individually, most players are taking big strides as well. Errors are down, confidence is up.
Again, compare this with the Blues, finalists-in-waiting in round three, bumbling strangers by round eight.
On current evidence, the debate about Foster's reappointment and Warren Gatland's subsequent exit appears misplaced.
