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Report: Crusaders coach in line to join All Blacks coaching group
By Sam Smith
Scott Robertson’s chief assistant at the Crusaders has reportedly been asked to join Ian Foster’s All Blacks coaching staff as part of a backroom overhaul in the wake of New Zealand’s series defeat to Ireland.
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According to a report from the New Zealand Herald, highly-regarded Crusaders forwards coach Jason Ryan is tipped to join the All Blacks imminently as the Kiwis look to bounce back quickly after suffering a historic series loss at the hands of the Irish.
Falling to a 2-1 series defeat after losing their first matches to Ireland on home soil, the All Blacks are desperately searching for improvement ahead of their Rugby Championship campaign, which kicks-off in a fortnight when they face the Springboks across two tests in South Africa.
Fronting the media following a tumultuous week that ended with his retention as All Blacks head coach on Friday, Foster acknowledged that such improvement will only come with change.
After naming an almost-unchanged 36-man All Blacks squad for the Rugby Championship, headlined by the retention of under-pressure captain Sam Cane, Foster strongly hinted that those alterations will come within his coaching ranks imminently.
“I’ve also heard that there does need to be some change,” Foster said.
“Right now, I am working behind the scenes to achieve that. You can ask me a hundred times what that is and I won’t be able to give you that answer just yet.
“I’d like you to bear with me, but we’ve got things in place right now, and as soon as I can let you know a couple of changes, I will let you know as soon as possible.”
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That seemingly leaves his assistant coaches – forwards coach and selector John Plumtree, attack coach Brad Mooar, defence coach Scott McLeod and scrum coach Greg Feek – in the firing line.
Speculation has swirled about the future of that quartet, with numerous reports outlining that Plumtree is one of those who are particularly vulnerable after reviewing poorly following last year’s tour of the northern hemisphere.
Despite that, Foster confirmed on Friday that Plumtree helped him and new All Blacks selector Joe Schmidt pick the Rugby Championship, which appeared to be an indication that his role within the national set-up remains secure.
However, the Herald reports that Ryan – the long-time assistant of Robertson, who missed out on the All Blacks head coach job to Foster after the 2019 World Cup – could join the New Zealand squad before their two-test tour of South Africa.
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Given his pedigree as a standout forwards coach, having helped Robertson guide the Crusaders to six straight Super Rugby championships after previously working with him for five title-laden years at Canterbury, Ryan’s addition as an All Blacks assistant coach would likely come at Plumtree’s expense.
Any decision to remove Plumtree – or any of the other All Blacks assistant coaches – would require a major payout from New Zealand Rugby [NZR] after Foster and his colleagues all signed two-year contract extensions last year.
Likewise, any ploy to bring Ryan on board with the All Blacks would likely result in NZR buying the former Black Ferns and New Zealand U20 coach out of his current deal with the Fiji national side.
Working as a forwards coach under Vern Cotter, Ryan is contracted to the Flying Fijians through until next year’s World Cup.
While there remains no confirmation about what changes will be made to the national coaching set-up, Foster is hopeful that any alterations will be made swiftly.
“I’ll let you know really soon. Out of respect for a couple of processes, I need to not say any more than that,” he said on Friday.
The All Blacks will assemble in Wellington on Monday before they open the Rugby Championship against the Springboks at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on August 6.
Looks like there will be a some further headaches to come for the NZRU, the politics is pretty obvious here if true and no doubt the speculation about Robertson will be an ongoing topic right up to the RWC.
If Jason Ryan is bought out of his Fijian coaching contract could that mean Scott Robertson take his place I wonder, it would certainly be a good test of his coaching credentials.
Keeping Sam Cane as a potential captain is about what I would have expected, the leadership hierarchy within the senior All Blacks is seldom parted.
Well, its official. Plumtree and Moar have been provided the sacrificial lambs and Jason Ryan is in. It still wont work because we all know Cane is not the premiere number 7 in the country so Jason has to make a silk purse out of a sows ear. There's only 1 of 2 ways this will end. 1)Foster will stay on til the WC and we will be sent home packing empty handed. 2) We will continue to decline to the point the RFU will have no choice but to sack Foster and put in Schmidt or Robertson, presuming either would wish to take the role at such a time. Personally, I think they've missed the boat on that one and we are now becoming more and more entrenched in a hole. Prepare for more pain!
Plumtree was an incredible defence coach for the Hurricanes, as evident by their 2015-2016 campaigns, I have no idea why he's the forwards coach, he shouldn't lose his job just because he was put in the wrong role.
Shift Plumtree to defence and get rid of the attack coach because he clearly doesn't show up to work.
I can't see Jason Ryan accepting the offer.
With Foster at the top, nothing will change. Ryan's reputation will suffer and go the same way as Feek's, who is highly regarded for his work with Ireland.
He'd be better off working with Fiji and continuing to enhance his reputation, then join Robertson with All Blacks in 2024.
Also, could NZR not fuck over Fiji by attempting to poach a coach?
Wait a minute... Jason Ryan could join the New Zealand squad before their two-test tour of South Africa! More madness from the NZRFU. He has been successful , partly because of his ability but also in part because of the caliber of front-row players he has had to work with. So the same under performing front row players retain their positions and Jason Ryan gets brought in on mission impossible to turn them into a worldclass unit. Ain't going to happen mate, least of all against the Bok frontrow.
The two people that have retained their position are the two who needed to go. Foster doesn't seem to be getting the best out of his players, and Cane doesn't seem to be providing adequate leadership on the paddock.
Making change & saving face all at the same time.
Wow how nice Ian, go pinch Scott's picks. I'm bewildered, Foster picked his assistants 2 years ago and now they are going to cop the blame. It really shows Ian is not up to it, he picked them!