SUNDAY SPECIAL: Molesworth St, we have a problem

French excellence shines harsh light on decisions taken at NZ Rugby HQ

Doh! Photo / Getty Images

Since the emergence of Transatlantic air crossings more than 90 years ago, few people will have looked forward to a long-haul flight as much as Ian Foster.

For a sweet 24 hours or so, as the All Blacks make their weary way back from the green fields of Europe to the claustrophobic halls of MIQ, Foster will have some respite. He can push the seat back, clasp on his noise-cancelling Beats and download a classic film - There Will Be Blood, maybe, or perhaps La Grande Vadrouille if he’s in the mood for a little more French farce.

What he does not want to do is log on to the big news websites… or Twitter.

Dwayne W😎 @WiltsDR

Good news…. 2 yrs of Ian Foster’s All Black coaching career are done 🥳 Bad news…. Still another 2 yrs (including a World Cup) to go 😢 #FRAvNZ

Tim Murphy @tmurphyNZ

Probably wise of NZ Rugby to have given Ian Foster two more years to get things right.

When England beat the All Blacks 38-21 at the fag end of 2012, Steve Hansen called the loss the rock under the beach towel. This last fortnight will be closer to a bed of nails. The All Blacks haven’t just lost to Ireland and France, but they have been comprehensively outplayed and made to look ordinary, lacking composure and bereft of ideas.

For all those who thought New Zealand Rugby took the soft option in appointing Foster in the first place ahead of Scott Robertson or Jamie Joseph, then an even softer option in extending his contract to the end of 2023, this has been two weeks of “told you sos” - there hasn’t been a sunscreen invented powerful enough to protect all those bathing in schadenfreude.