The recently appointed Wallabies coach, Mike Cron, has publicly voiced his dissatisfaction with the treatment of Ian Foster by New Zealand Rugby during Foster’s tenure as head coach of the All Blacks. Foster, who assumed the role of head coach in 2020, encountered challenges and a lack of support from fans.
In 2022, Foster’s position came under threat after a series of disappointing performances, including losses to Ireland and the Springboks. Despite a win against South Africa that saved his job, New Zealand Rugby made the unconventional decision to announce Scott Robertson as the next head coach well in advance of the Rugby World Cup, a move that Foster and Cron found unsatisfactory.
Cron, who had worked alongside Foster at the All Blacks for seven years, expressed his support for Foster, stating, “He is a great man and a great coach. He was unfairly treated. The actions of the media and NZR were unacceptable. He did not deserve it. He is a person of greater character than that. Hopefully, such a situation will not occur again.”
The departure of Joe Schmidt, a former coach of New Zealand who joined the Wallabies’ backroom team, also caused concern among players, including Scott Barrett and Dane Coles. However, Cron’s decision to join the Wallabies was not influenced by New Zealand Rugby’s treatment of Foster.
Regarding his move to the Wallabies, Cron stated, “Not at all. I have no issues. They simply did not handle Foster’s departure very well. It was clumsy.”
In conclusion, the controversial departure of Ian Foster and the subsequent appointments of new coaching staff have faced criticism within the rugby community. However, the Wallabies appear to be strengthening their coaching staff with the addition of experienced personnel.