Foster has answered his critics
May 20, 2009
Regardless of the Chiefs' fate in the Rebel Sport Super 14 play-offs, coach Ian Foster should have silenced his critics.
Foster is into his sixth season as head coach of the Hamilton-based franchise.
And his time in charge has been anything but smooth sailing.
The Chiefs have made the Super 14 play-offs just twice; both during Foster's coaching tenure.
But in between the top-four finishes in 2004 and 2009 there have been plenty of critics lining up to question how a side stacked with such talent could let so many golden chances of more frequent play-off action slip by.
And I was in that group after the Chiefs made another poor start to the 2009 season, losing their first three matches.
However, in stunning style, the Chiefs have turned around what threatened to be a premature end to their season hopes to make the semifinals.
And in doing so there has been a lot to be impressed by.
Past seasons have come unstuck partly due to injuries among some of their test-capped players.
That again has been the case in 2009, with All Blacks Mils Muliaina, Brendon Leonard, Richard Kahui and Sione Lauaki all being sidelined at different times.
But what has shone through this year has been an increase in depth, self-belief and maturity.
And they are all traits which Foster can be partly credited for contributing towards.
Some of Foster's critics have taken umbrage with the NZRU and Chiefs' decision to sign him on a long-term deal despite his relative tangible successes.
They claimed that rugby top-brass would have been better off in signing Warren Gatland, who eventually headed to Wales after his path to becoming a Super 14 head coach was blocked.
But to be frank, Gatland's coaching CV at the time was hardly much better than Foster's.
Sure, he went on to claim the Six Nations in his first season in charge of Wales; but it was a triumph recorded against ordinary English, French and Irish sides going through post-World Cup rebuilds and less than stellar Scottish and Italian sides.
The 2009 Six Nations was a reality check for Gatland.
Foster is proving to be the right man for the job.
He deserves plenty of praise to be directed his way.
But while he copped most of the flak for his side's previous lean patch, now things are going well most of the praise directed the Chiefs' way is being lauded on his players.
What do you think?
Is the loyalty placed in Foster now paying off? Or could another coach do just as well with the playing resources he has to work with?
Foster is into his sixth season as head coach of the Hamilton-based franchise.
And his time in charge has been anything but smooth sailing.
The Chiefs have made the Super 14 play-offs just twice; both during Foster's coaching tenure.
But in between the top-four finishes in 2004 and 2009 there have been plenty of critics lining up to question how a side stacked with such talent could let so many golden chances of more frequent play-off action slip by.
And I was in that group after the Chiefs made another poor start to the 2009 season, losing their first three matches.
However, in stunning style, the Chiefs have turned around what threatened to be a premature end to their season hopes to make the semifinals.
And in doing so there has been a lot to be impressed by.
Past seasons have come unstuck partly due to injuries among some of their test-capped players.
That again has been the case in 2009, with All Blacks Mils Muliaina, Brendon Leonard, Richard Kahui and Sione Lauaki all being sidelined at different times.
But what has shone through this year has been an increase in depth, self-belief and maturity.
And they are all traits which Foster can be partly credited for contributing towards.
Some of Foster's critics have taken umbrage with the NZRU and Chiefs' decision to sign him on a long-term deal despite his relative tangible successes.
They claimed that rugby top-brass would have been better off in signing Warren Gatland, who eventually headed to Wales after his path to becoming a Super 14 head coach was blocked.
But to be frank, Gatland's coaching CV at the time was hardly much better than Foster's.
Sure, he went on to claim the Six Nations in his first season in charge of Wales; but it was a triumph recorded against ordinary English, French and Irish sides going through post-World Cup rebuilds and less than stellar Scottish and Italian sides.
The 2009 Six Nations was a reality check for Gatland.
Foster is proving to be the right man for the job.
He deserves plenty of praise to be directed his way.
But while he copped most of the flak for his side's previous lean patch, now things are going well most of the praise directed the Chiefs' way is being lauded on his players.
What do you think?
Is the loyalty placed in Foster now paying off? Or could another coach do just as well with the playing resources he has to work with?
Waikato heritage has to underpin and be the basis of it's whole effort, and the years with
North Harbour as part of it really held back it's early development. It's interesting to note
that The Crusaders, the most successful franchise in Super history has only ever
had one (until Tasman) 1st division side to pick players from. This forces the development
of local club players which b
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