Ian Foster is unfazed about suggestion that his time as New Zealand coach is nearly over.
Following a landmark series defeat to Ireland, speculation has surfaced and belief was high that change was imminent.
Despite this, Foster survived a New Zealand Rugby review, with his assistant coaches instead taking the blame for the defeat.
Thanks for the series @IrishRugby ?
Safe travels back to Ireland! pic.twitter.com/oysoZekX5r
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) July 16, 2022
Attention now turns to the upcoming Rugby Championship and mouthwatering tests against the World Champion Springboks.
Pressed on whether his position might become untenable with another setback in South Africa, Foster said he was only focused on the job at hand.
"It's not something I think about. I think about just doing the best I can in my role," Foster told reporters in Wellington.
"My job is to get excited about taking the team to South Africa. We're not panicking. I'm not sure about the rest of the people."
Astonishingly, the All-Blacks have lost four of their last five tests. Regardless, Foster said head office had given him no demands regarding the South Africa tour.
"I don't need them to tell me what we want to do," he added.
"We want to play well. With all the emotions around when you lose a series, it's easy for people to get scratchy and poke holes, and I get all that and accept all that.
"But it doesn't change our job, which is to get the group to play well."
Our squad for the 2022 LipovitanD Rugby Championship. pic.twitter.com/buA1m8iDz8
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) July 22, 2022
Action in the 2022 LipovitanD Rugby Championship starts gets underway on 6 August in Mbombela.
Attention will be firmly on the three-times World Champions, ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
