Foster's uncertainty and confusion an alarming aspect of NZR's political stunt

New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, didn’t last long with Mike Hosking.

Ardern once had a weekly interview slot with the radio broadcaster, where he wasn’t famous for his patsy questions.

In fact, Hosking regularly put Ardern on the spot, by asking the things that the man and woman in the street wanted answers to.

Ardern eventually severed the agreement because Hosking wouldn’t allow her to waffle on unchallenged.

The Breakdown | Sky Sport NZ | Episode 15

The Breakdown | Sky Sport NZ | Episode 15

Cue All Blacks coach Ian Foster, then, and his cosy in-house chat with The All Blacks Podcast.

This was the rugby equivalent of the Labour Party, which Ardern leads, “interviewing’’ her, replete with pre-prepared questions and regular asides about what a fantastic job she’s doing and how fabulous the Government is.

Among the many ironies of Foster’s fireside chat with The All Blacks Podcast, was his apparent admiration for Hosking.

Oh to get those two men in a radio studio. Foster would be out of there a lot faster than Ardern was.

Steve Hansen remains a very hard act for Foster to follow.

Hansen was a superb communicator. Considered, commanding, challenging: he’d give you five back-page stories in one 15-minute press conference.

Whether it was his team, the opposition, referees, the structure of the season or future opponents, Hansen spoke with clarity and authority. He never missed his intended target and never contradicted himself.

He inspired confidence, not doubt, and you knew that feeling of certainty must be a huge comfort to the players.

The contrast with Foster was always striking, in his days as assistant coach.

He was suspicious of every question and unconvincing in his answers. He saw criticism in everything and could sulk when he felt journalists weren’t accentuating the positives.

You never walked away from one of his press conferences feeling any the wiser for the experience.

So it was interesting for the rugby public to get a taste of that this week. To hear Foster, who’d been thoroughly briefed on what he’d be asked, battle his way through The All Blacks Podcast.

If I took anything away from the hour of audio, it was Foster’s uncertainty and confusion.

Take that old chestnut of line speed.

Foster admitted rush defences have flummoxed he and the All Blacks for five or six years now. That they are probably aware of the best mechanism to combat it, but refuse to use it because it doesn’t suit the team’s DNA.

Well, losing’s never really been in the All Blacks’ nature either, but never mind.

Rightly or wrongly, we expect decisive men to be in charge of the All Blacks. Men with all the answers, men who are never surprised by opposition tactics and men who are always that one step ahead.

I defy anyone to listen to that podcast and tell me Foster is any of those things.

But that’s not his fault. He neither appointed, nor re-appointed himself. That’s on New Zealand Rugby (NZR).

But you have to chuckle.

Here’s NZR – as much a political party as Labour, National and the rest – putting their leader out on show. Giving him an opportunity to win hearts and minds and to inspire confidence ahead of the upcoming series against Ireland.

No curly questions, no live audience. Just a carefully choreographed and stage-managed production that still couldn’t portray Foster in a favourable light.

None of us know what Ardern’s like in cabinet meetings, just as we’ll never know how Foster goes on the training paddock or in team meeting rooms. We have to judge them on their public utterances and appearances.

Don’t know about you, but I’ve already chucked a cheeky 20 bucks on Ireland.