Former All Blacks coach Ian Foster. Photo: Photosport
Former All Blacks coach Ian Foster, who guided New Zealand to a runners-up finish at the 2023 World Cup, has been recognised in the New Year's Honours.
Foster has been made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rugby.
"I was surprised and humbled," Foster said.
"It's pretty amazing to get acknowledgement from you from your country and it probably reflects a whole lot of people that have support supported me in doing what I've done in New Zealand for a long, long time.
"It's reflective of all the support my family and my friends have given me through the years of of doing what's been a reasonably demanding job."
Ian Foster (R) with Sir Steve Hansen at the 2019 World Cup. Photo: Photosport
The 59-year-old was the All Blacks assistant coach from 2012 to 2019, before becoming head coach from 2020 until 2023.
As assistant coach he worked alongside then head coach Sir Steve Hansen, leading the All Blacks to win 93 of their 108 tests across eight years, including a Rugby World Cup title in England 2015 and World Cup third place finish in Japan in 2019.
As head coach he helped the All Blacks retain the Bledisloe Cup against the Wallabies, the Freedom Cup against South Africa and the Rugby Championship each year from 2020 to 2023.
He led the team to a runners-up finish at the 2023 World Cup in France.
During his time as head coach, the All Blacks had a 70 percent win rate.
Prior to his time with the All Blacks, he coached the Chiefs Super Rugby team between 2004 and 2011, placing in the top eight across five years, and reaching the finals in 2004 and 2009.
As a player, Foster made 148 appearances at first-five for Waikato and played 28 games for the Chiefs.
Foster said it is hard to pick one highlight from a long playing and coaching career.
"It's not one moment. It's about my high school days. It's about my my club days, particularly at Te Awamutu. It's about playing for Waikato. It's about being at the Chiefs as a player and as a coach and the junior All Blacks and then All Blacks," Foster said.
"So it's about the journey and there's so many great experiences at each of those levels. It's easy to reflect on winning a World Cup (2015) or just about winning a World Cup (2023) as highlights, but at every one of those levels that I've been involved in there are so many special memories and hopefully a few more to come."
Former All Blacks coach Ian Foster with Beauden Barrett at the 2023 World Cup. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
The memories aren't all good though.
Foster was in charge when the All Blacks lost their first ever series to Ireland and suffered their first-ever losses to the Irish on New Zealand soil. He was also head coach when the All Blacks suffered their first defeat to Argentina in Aotearoa.
He said he learnt a lot about coaching and himself during those tough times.
"It keeps me grounded. It keeps me focused on the people that I'm working with and they're the most important people at the time."
The former All Blacks coach is now in Japan with Nagoya based side Toyota Verblitz, who have just kicked off their League One season. He said he's living in the present and doesn't have any particular goals left to achieve in rugby.
"I just want to keep growing. I've come to come to Japan now and with Toyota and I'm really enjoying that and realising that, you know, coaching is coaching regardless of language."
"Players are players are similar and our job is to connect and to make sure that they know that we care about their development and then help give them some tools. So I'm really enjoying that.
"Who knows where is next? For me it's really just about giving your best for the group that you're currently with and and not worrying too much about tomorrow."
Foster has been involved in rugby most of his life and he loves the sport. However, he said the game is facing some stern challenges in the modern era.
"I love the game. I think it's got a lot to contribute. It reflects a lot about teamwork and togetherness and overcoming obstacles," Foster said.
"There's no doubt that the game is under a bit of pressure as we grapple with the financial sides of things and and there's no doubt there's a pull between the 'team culture' and the 'me culture' and that's a worldwide thing.
"As long as we're working hard to try to create structures and competitions that make sure we keep those things in balance, that we're not overloading players, overloading the market and the commercial side of it, that we forget that the game is actually still about that teams and countries working together and having a good crack at each other and then enjoying each others company afterwards.
"I think that side of the game is under threat a little bit, but there's a lot of good people working hard to make sure we don't slip down the other side."
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