ADVERTISEMENT
RugbyDump
REGISTER
LOGIN
ADVERTISEMENT
RugbyDump
Thursday Jul 28, 2022

Legendary Coach Blasts New Zealand Rugby Administrators

Rugby’s position in New Zealand is such that when the All Blacks suffer so does the wider society and even the economy.

ADVERTISEMENT

It is little wonder then that the countries recent series loss at home to Ireland has had a wide-reaching effect on the country.

Starting at the top where two senior All Blacks coaches in John Plumtree and Brad Mooar were relieved of their duties.

Their former boss Ian Foster is currently fighting to keep his role as head coach, with a two-test series in South Africa to come the future of this All Blacks set up hangs in the balance.

Foster’s former boss the legendary Steve Hansen has come to the defence of his former understudy.

Speaking to Tiva O’Brien of New Zealand’s Today FM, Hansen said that “The New Zealand Rugby Union are not doing their job properly”.

Hansen made note of the reviews that the NZRU have continually made with regards to the All Blacks, Black Ferns and U20 coaching teams.

ADVERTISEMENT

As Hansen notes they have not looked inward rather laying the blame at the feet of the coaches and players.

“The relationship between the board and the [executive] with the players at the moment is probably the worst it’s ever been.

“I don’t think they are doing their job right at the moment.

“There have been a lot of reviews of [ex-New Zealand women coach] Glenn Moore and Ian Foster on their coaching ability recently but when was the last time the NZ Rugby Union did a review on itself? Our high-performance department at the moment has to be squirming about our record at Under-20 level.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Speaking about the countries U-20s, he correctly notes they are no longer the dominant force in that age category.

“We haven’t won a tournament. We started off with the Under-20s in 2008, we won the first four and we won in ’15 and ’17. Since then, we’ve finished seventh and fourth and England and France have dominated the tournaments. Are we getting that side of our business, right? I don’t think so.”

Defending his former assistant, Hansen lent his full weight of support for the man he oversaw the winning of a World Cup title.

“I think all good coaches go through adversity in their career and we’re seeing that now with Ian Foster.

“He won’t be happy with how things have gone of late but I don’t think the issue is just inside the team. I think there are bigger issues than that.

Clearly there are few better positioned to discuss Fosters coaching ability than someone who worked so intimately with him.

“I’m probably sitting in the seat best to be able to quantify whether he is a good coach or not, because I coached with him for 16 years at the highest level. He is a very good coach.

“I don’t think the issue is just inside the team, I think the issue is bigger than that.

“It’s not acceptable to write or say things on social media that are cruel, nasty, malicious, spiteful, vicious…straight out bullying really.

“It’s the world we live in now with trolling. There’s no care or consideration of the person you’re writing about or their family. I can guarantee you that the people doing it had it done to them they’d melt away in the corner. We’re better than that in New Zealand but, unfortunately, we get emotional.”

The NZRU have remained tight lipped so far on Hansen’s comments, as the All Blacks prepare to take on the Boks in their own backyard you can be sure this is not the end of the story.

Related Articles

  • 35 WEEKS AGO

    Jeff Wilson Blast Scott Robertson

  • 36 WEEKS AGO

    All Blacks make coaching changes

  • 36 WEEKS AGO

    Justin Marshall Akira Ioane Fight



ADVERTISEMENT

Great Tries

  • 6 DAYS AGO

    Incredible Camera Work During URC Clash Shows Rugby Player’s Athleticism

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    Heart Breaking Six Nations Ending For Italy As Scotland Score Long Range Try

  • 4 WEEKS AGO

    Montpellier Number Eight Zach Mercer Outlandish Attacking Skill

  • 7 WEEKS AGO

    Damian Penaud Pulls Off a "van der Merwe" in Outrageous French Try

  • 7 WEEKS AGO

    Ireland Winger James Lowe With World Class Finish In Titanic Battle With France

View All

Big Hits & Dirty Play

  • 1 DAY AGO

    Italian player cops nine week ban following on field bust up

  • 4 DAYS AGO

    Close Up Angle Of La Rochelle Secondrow Will Skelton Laying Into Opposition

  • 5 DAYS AGO

    Referee Luke Pearce Gets Hit Hard In Harlequins vs Saracens Clash

  • 6 DAYS AGO

    Owen Farrell On The Receiving End Of An Illegal Hit

  • 1 WEEK AGO

    Refereeing Legend Nigel Owens Breaks Down Freddie Steward Incident

View All

See It To Believe It

  • 6 WEEKS AGO

    Ardie Savea Moment Of Magic In Super Rugby Aotearoa

  • 6 WEEKS AGO

    'Armchair athletes' berate Arundell's seriously impressive bench press

  • 7 WEEKS AGO

    Worcester Warriors - The End

  • 9 WEEKS AGO

    Sevens magic as 'headed' try brings stadium to its feet

  • 10 WEEKS AGO

    Almost 35,000 have now signed petition to reverse new grassroots tackle laws

View All

Funnies

  • 1 WEEK AGO

    Whole Irish squad turn up to teammates parents house for drinking session

  • 3 WEEKS AGO

    Jonathan Sexton Fantastic Comeback Caught On Ref Mic

  • 4 WEEKS AGO

    Hilarious Footage Of English Players Post Leg Day Workout

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    Mack Hansen leaves viewers in stitches with hilarious post-match interview mistake

  • 6 WEEKS AGO

    A Look Back At Rugby’s Greatest Ever Film

View All

Amateur

  • 12 WEEKS AGO

    You Won’t See Many Better Than This Silky-Smooth Try From Llandovery RFC

  • 12 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible Scenes As Caldy RFC Hand Ealing First Championship Defeat Of The Season

  • 35 WEEKS AGO

    Dubious Score Decides Result Of Rugby's Biggest Schools Fixture

  • 35 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible Scenes At School Boys Rugby Match

  • 35 WEEKS AGO

    The Next Dominant Backrow?

View All

Player Features

  • 1 DAY AGO

    Italian player cops nine week ban following on field bust up

  • 3 WEEKS AGO

    Youth and experience combine in an effort to repeat Six Nations upset

  • 4 WEEKS AGO

    Wales international releases emotional statement after being offered contract that isn’t enough to feed family

  • 4 WEEKS AGO

    Ardie Savea causes outrage with ‘throat slitting’ gesture

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    Smith, Marchant and Murley released from England camp to take part in 'Big Game 14'

View All