Ian Foster gives his last press conference as All Blacks head coach opening up on his future, legacy and what he will miss the most after four seasons in the top job. Video / NZ Herald
Surprised, and humbled. That’s the reaction of former All Blacks coach Ian Foster after being made a companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Having spent decades working in rugby, including 12 years with the All Blacks, Foster’s contribution to the game has earned him inclusion in the New Year’s Honours list.
But Foster’s contribution to the sport extends far beyond what he did at the highest level.
The 148 matches Foster played for Waikato are still a record for the province and the tally is unlikely to be bettered. Among active players, only Liam Messam, aged 40, gets close at 104 games.
As a coach, Foster’s spells with both Waikato and the Chiefs paved the way for him to step into the All Blacks, where he lifted the World Cup as an assistant to Sir Steve Hansen in 2012.
And speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Summer Breakfast with Tim Beveridge, the 59-year-old is happy to deflect praise towards those who have helped him get to where he is, rather than take personal credit.
“It’s always for other people, isn’t it? It’s never for you,” Foster said. “But upon a little bit of reflection, I’m incredibly grateful for the acknowledgment.
“That’s, I guess, for my involvement in rugby, and something I’ve loved. You don’t do it for any acknowledgment, but it’s been pretty special.
“With every layer, there’s special memories. There’s people that have been a massive influence, and people that have helped you along the pathways.
“Every level has its own highs and lows. It was never a written goal to be coach of the All Blacks.
“It was always about enjoying the moment and enjoying the group of people I was with at the time.
“The thing that’s been most special for me is seeing the support I’ve had over the years from family and friends at those different levels.”
A year on from the All Blacks’ heartbreaking one-point loss to South Africa in the Rugby World Cup final, Foster has taken his coaching acumen offshore and been reunited with former mentor Hansen at Toyota Verblitz in Japan.
The move to Japan came after New Zealand Rugby acted to replace Foster before a ball had even been kicked in 2023, as Scott Robertson was backed as the man to lead the All Blacks into the future.
Despite that, though, Foster’s tenure ultimately showed his worth as a coach.
Ian Foster and Sir Steve Hansen in 2019. Photo / Getty Images
Aside from his World Cup campaign as head coach, where the All Blacks ended Ireland’s run before losing to South Africa, Foster defended the Bledisloe Cup every year, and also kept hold of the Freedom Cup against the Springboks.
One year on, that prize has been surrendered to South Africa.
And while public praise may not have flowed during his tenure, Foster never lost the support of his players.
In mid-2022, when Foster faced the sack while the team were away in South Africa, a group of senior players personally pulled NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson aside to outline that the coach needed to keep his job.
After the World Cup final defeat in the bowels of Stade de France, assistant coach Jason Ryan was asked what he thought Foster deserved to be remembered for. His answer was how much Foster cared for the All Blacks.
That care is consistent with Foster’s approach to coaching on the whole, and the credit Foster gives to the players who have been part of his career.
“For me, coaching is about caring for the people you work with. You get the best out of them if you care for them, if you try to understand what they’re going through.
“I love coaching, it’s a great chance to influence people. But to do that, you’ve got to walk a little bit of life in their shoes, and understand the pressures they’re going through.
“Quite frankly, the players, every week we put them out, we expect high standards, so they should expect the same out of us.”
Now, though, Foster’s challenge lies in Japan. His Toyota Verblitz have opened their Rugby League One season with defeats to Kubota Spears and Honda Heat.
Japan has become a destination for Kiwis, coaches and players alike.
Foster is joined at Toyota by Aaron Smith, while former All Blacks charges Sam Cane and TJ Perenara have also just moved to Suntory Sungoliath and Black Rams Tokyo respectively.
But as seen by the large number of quality internationals moving to Japanese clubs, playing there is about so much more than earning a paycheque. Foster is no different.
“It’s a great new challenge, a new culture, a new language, new food, new road to drive to work, new personalities — a new Ian Foster,” he said.
“It’s a great chance to try and teach an old dog new tricks. I want to keep growing as a coach, this is a great chance to do it.
“But what I’ve learned is really, rugby players are rugby players — whether they speak Kiwi, Aussie or Japanese.
“The beautiful thing is there’s some great people over here, and I’m enjoying getting to know them.
“I love what I’m doing.”
Alex Powell is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016, and previously worked for both Newshub and 1News.
