Ex-New Zealand Rugby boss David Moffett has slammed the treatment of Ian Foster as “absolutely deplorable” as his job as All Blacks coach hangs interminably in the balance.
Speaking on Sunday, NZR chief executive Mark Robinson failed to guarantee Foster’s security as coach for the team’s next Test against Argentina on August 27.
It seems almost certain that Foster would have been sacked if the All Blacks had lost in Johannesburg – following three straight previous defeats – but Sunday’s fighting 35-23 upset win over the world champion Springboks has significantly muddied the waters.
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The New Zealand Herald reported on Tuesday that Foster’s future would be determined within the next two days.
Robinson said he would meet with All Blacks management upon their return to NZ before making a recommendation to the NZR board.
And Foster said he expected to remain in charge against the resurgent Pumas while joking that his immediate priority was getting home to “mow the lawns around the pool.”
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“I’ve heard a lot about this non-event that was the presser that he (Robinson) held and I think all he did was make things dramatically worse,” Moffett told Newstalk ZB.
“Whether any of the fans think it would be Foster or it should be Scott Robertson, the fact of the matter remains that Foster has been left out to dry by Robinson and I don’t think that’s good enough.
“I think the average person would just sort of say, ‘well, why don’t you make a decision and either sack him or back him’.”
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Moffett, who was NZR chief executive between 1996-2000 and held the same role at the NRL, had “no idea” whether a decision had already been made behind the scenes.
“And by the sound of it, neither does Ian Foster, which I think is absolutely deplorable.
“This guy has been left hanging now for weeks and weeks,” Moffett said.
“Unfortunately New Zealand Rugby is actually looking like they’re a government department – can’t make a decision…
“Oh ‘we’ll just hold a review then we’ll hold another review.’ I mean the reviews are coming out of their ears.
“They should’ve already known what they were going to do. The fact that they didn’t is incompetent.”
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