The All Blacks coach Ian Foster doesn't believe he'll be in the job after the World Cup.
Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Foster told Newstalk ZB on Wednesday that he believes there is a "mood for change" at New Zealand Rugby.
"I think it's pretty highly unlikely that I will be in this job next year but I keep getting asked about whether I'm going to apply. I think that's not the big question for me, the big question is what's the best thing for the All Blacks in 2023."
Foster concedes he's "rocking the boat" by making his views public.
He also said it's unlikely he would re-apply for the head coaches role until after this year's World Cup in France, which takes place in September and October.
After "reading the tea leaves", Foster admitted he may not even be a contender to be the next All Blacks coach.
However, he believes he can lead the All Blacks to success at the World Cup.
"Absolutely I can. I'll give everyone a 100 per cent commitment on that. It's not like there's going to be bucket-loads of excuses afterwards, but I also don't believe, in my own words, of putting unnecessary distractions on our shoulders."
Foster told Newstalk ZB that he was frustrated by the "distraction" the situation is causing the All Blacks team.
Asked whether he was annoyed that the appointment process for the next All Blacks coach, which is believed to be a two horse race between the Crusaders coach Scott Robertson and Japan boss Jamie Joseph, Foster replied, "I think so."
"I've sat back for the last few months and listened to the conversations bouncing around in the public domain about this role and job and when's the right time to do something.
"There's a couple of things that probably did it for me - one was John Kirwan's article [recently] where he said 'Ian should just get up and say this and this and this'.
"And I kind of agreed with him so I spoke to him and just felt the New Zealand rugby public deserved to know what I thought of it.
"And I also believe that this is becoming more of a debate about who is going to apply than what is the right thing for the team. For me, I know people are going to make decisions, I respect that, but I believe I owed it to our team to say what I felt was the right thing for the All Blacks in a World Cup year."
New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson confirmed last year that NZR would move away from their traditional appointment policy and would name the next All Blacks coach before this year's World Cup.
Foster believes NZR are following through with those plans.
"I'm sure they've got a clear idea.
"That's up to them to voice that. It does seem to be reasonably obvious, there was an interview with a coach last week that made it look like there were already plans to go early and it was frustrating to hear that from another voice.
"Either way, it seems like there's a mood for change and I get that, but it doesn't change the fact that this All Black team, we've got a big prize to win at the end of this year. There's expectation from the public and we want everyone to get in behind us. We want to unify this country behind a team in black."
-RNZ
