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All Blacks Coach Foster Confident Of Keeping Job

All Blacks coach Ian Foster expects to lead the team out for their next test against Argentina in Christchurch in under two weeks.

New Zealand Rugby boss Mark Robinson refused to confirm Foster would remain in his job when facing the media on Sunday, fuelling speculation he may soon be relieved of his duties.

Once the All Blacks arrive home from South Africa, Robinson indicated the NZ Rugby board would review the team’s record of three losses and two wins this season and ultimately determine Foster’s future at some stage next week.

A three-game losing streak came to an end with the All Blacks’ 35-23 bonus point Rugby Championship success against South Africa at Ellis Park, Johannesburg and Foster said afterwards that he expects to continue.

“I haven’t heard or read those comments but he’s got a job to do,” Foster said of Robinson’s remarks. “I’m about to hop on a plane and go home and mow the lawns around the pool. I’ll be given feedback, no doubt, but my expectations are I’m the All Blacks head coach and later in the week I’ll be going to Christchurch and assembling with the team until I’m told anything different.”

Foster, who believes he has the backing of the playing group, elaborated on the criticism he has faced after the team lost five of their last six tests prior to the surprise triumph at Ellis Park.

“You get used to it. And that’s sad, isn’t it?” he said. “I get used to the personal side but that’s the nature of the job. They’re the distractions I ask the players to put to one side. When we go to a test match and there’s a big crowd or referee decisions don’t go their way or something goes wrong we’re demanding of our players to put those things to one side and get back to work.

“In all honesty, I think the playing group have been demanding that of me – stop sulking, do your job and get on with it. Sometimes the answer is in the simplicity of that.”

/Stewart
Sports news editor