'Zero pleasure': Ex-All Black Whitelock lifts lid on Razor-Fozzie coaching drama

Ex-All Black lock Sam Whitelock has revealed that the Ian Foster-Scott Robertson coaching drama in 2022 was the “trickiest period” of his career.

The veteran said that the All Blacks “losing in ways they never had before” triggered a difficult period where speculation was rife that Ian Foster would be replaced.

His assistants at the time were let go following the 2-1 series loss to Ireland on home soil, before a resurgent performance in the second Test in South Africa in 2022 “saved” Foster’s job.

Detailing the experience in his new autobiography View from the Second Row, Whitelock said that despite being a “Crusaders lifer” he never advocated for any coach.

“The trickiest period I’ve had to negotiate in this respect was, not surprisingly, during the Ian Foster/Scott Robertson debate which in reality covered nearly the entirety of the 2020 to 2023 World Cup cycle,” Whitelock wrote.

“Fozzie was always going to be a favourite to get the top job when Shag retired at the end of 2019, but Razor’s success at every level he had worked at, from age-group through to Super Rugby, made him a genuinely compelling candidate.

“When the All Blacks started losing in ways they never had and against teams they never had, Foster’s position became precarious and in 2022 it was widely reported that Razor had been prepped to take over, only for Fozzie to ‘save’ his job with a win against South Africa at Johannesburg.

“I know both men well, and had worked closely with both. So I had a tremendous amount of respect and affection for both.

“I took zero pleasure in Fozzie’s struggles and never publicly advocated for one over the other.

“Being a Crusaders lifer, every man and his dog wanted to know if I thought Razor should be brought in to take over from Fozzie.

“It was never my decision, and nor should it have been, so I tried not to waste any energy thinking about it.”

Whitelock played a pivotal role in aiding the All Blacks to a World Cup final under Foster’s watch.

In his fourth and final Rugby World Cup campaign, Whitelock producing the game-winning penalty in the quarter-final against Ireland, knocking out the number one ranked side 28-24.

The All Blacks would go on to make the Rugby World Cup final but would fall short by one point 12-11 to South Africa after a red card to Sam Cane left them down to 14 men for most of the game.

Whitelock finished his career with two World Cup winner’s medals, a bronze finish from 2019 and a runners up medal from his last campaign in France.