Former All Blacks coach's verdict on World Cup squad

Ian Foster has received a further boost, this time from a former All Blacks coach following the announcement of the World Cup squad.

The All Blacks’ great 2023 form has almost certainly seen under-siege coach Foster go from zero to a potential World Cup hero in an increasing number of eyes.

John Hart - who coached the All Blacks to their first series win in South Africa - says Foster fails to get the credit he deserves.

Hart, more than any All Blacks coach, experienced the highs and lows of running the national team at the world tournament.

He was lauded for his assistant role in winning the first World Cup, yet suffered two world tournament disappointments and some bitter treatment from the public.

Hart told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking Foster and his team had done a “great job getting to this point”.

“This is a very good team… I think this was virtually a unanimous team,” Hart said.

“We’ve played well, and we go away without injuries - apart from Brodie Retallick, which is significant, but I think they will cover that and he will be back.

“If there was one debate, it might be they’ve only taken five loose forwards and maybe an extra outside back, but outside of that, I think this is a team that will become the people’s team, which is very, very good.

“I definitely think it is a team to win a World Cup. I’ve always had a view that the first game and the last game will be the same at the World Cup … so I’m still predicting a France-All Blacks final.

“The big challenge for both will be beating SA and Ireland in the quarters - if they do, they will meet in the final.”

Hart said it was best to largely ignore international results last week because most teams used back-up players.

But he thinks this weekend’s games (Wales v England and France v Scotland) will be much better tournament indicators.

He believed the time was right for New Zealand to get behind these World Cup All Blacks and their coach.

“I think the turnaround from last year… let’s think back to a year ago when the All Blacks were supposedly in disarray. Foster was an idiot,” Hart said.

“Now he’s done a brilliant job in bringing together his coaching and selecting team - I think we’re prepared very well.

“I’m one of those who thought he was handled really badly last year. I think it was totally unfair.

“There’s no doubt that changing assistants was significant. Being able to step back with world-class assistants like Jason Ryan, Joe Schmidt and Greg Feek… all of a sudden, he’s been able to do his job, and collectively, they’ve become a very good unit leading this AB team.

“He’s a smart coach - people don’t give him the credit for the coach he is.

“It’s a real opportunity for the country to get behind this team, and hopefully, we’ll have a great World Cup.”

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission