NZ Rugby took "soft option" in Foster decision

Former New Zealand Rugby boss David Moffett believes the national body backed themselves into a corner with their handling of the All Blacks coaching situation before ultimately take the "soft option".

Embattled head coach Ian Foster was officially retained through to the 2023 Rugby World Cup on Wednesday, with New Zealand Rugby confirming their confidence in the Foster regime. The decision comes after a drawn two-test series in South Africa, after an impressive win at Ellis Park last weekend cancelled out a lacklustre loss the week before.

It has been a drawn-out process to get to this point. Foster's reign was questioned following the lost series to Ireland earlier this year and while he remained in the role for the South African tour, NZR failed to publicly convey their belief that Foster was, in fact, the right man to lead the team to France, despite having the opportunities to do so.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Simon Barnett and James Daniels, Moffett said the situation played out just as he expected.

"They had boxed themselves into a corner with their multitude of reviews and the pressure they had put on Foster," Moffett explained. "They were at the point where they had to either back him or sack him. They decided to take the soft option and back him, then they had to take it through to the World Cup because the population, the fans wouldn't tolerate having another review.

"The interesting thing, though, is what happens if the ABs go through a two or three match losing sequence again? They've made their decision. Foster and co are taking them through to the World Cup and we just have to wish them all the very best.

"They've stayed with Foster, now they've got to get on with it; now they've got to keep winning."

Moffett, who admits he has always been of the view Scott Robertson should have been awarded the job in the first place, also questioned the manner in which the announcement was made – taking aim at NZR chief executive Mark Robinson for not stepping up.

Robinson was criticised earlier in the week for holding court with the media in a press conference that offered little insight aside from the fact there would be an announcement made in the coming days.

"The other thing I was a bit surprised at was that it was left to the chairman to make the announcement," Moffett observed. "If I had been the chief executive, I would've said to the board 'here's my recommendation, you can either back it or not' and I think his recommendation was to keep Foster, but he should have made the announcement.

"A proper chief executive, a chief executive in any major company would've made that announcement. If the chairman needed to be there with him to show solidarity then he could've sat there while Robinson made the announcement. I think that was a very bad mistake on behalf of the chairman and board.

"They should've given Mark Robinson an opportunity - on the back of the win over South Africa where he didn't cover himself in glory in the media conference he held after it - to get back on the horse and say 'this is my recommendation; the board have backed me and we're all gung-ho to the next World Cup'. That didn't happen."

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