Rugby Union
Why NZR should Bring Back the Foz
Wussup sports fam, happy new year! Not so happy if you’re Razor Robertson, who was let go as All Blacks head coach earlier last month,
by Cam Schuster I 18th February 2026
but considering all the red flags shown to the NZ public over the course of Razor’s short tenure (well documented in Gregor Paul’s article Inside The Flaws That Led To His Downfall - NZ Herald) and the All Blacks downward trajectory concluded by David Kirk and NZR, there is no doubt, Kanye West has mental health issues and Razor had to go. I would break dance to that.
The Cam Schuster Podcast
Seeing a very impressive, clear, and concise NZR Chairman David Kirk front the media on why and how the decision to move on came about, I wasn't surprised by the reasoning; I was more shocked that NZR had ‘brass balls’ to pull the trigger. (Blake from Glengarry Glen Ross would be proud) So, there it is, New Zealand Rugby’s red wedding moment, the Razor has been disposed of, and now it’s time to find a replacement… yeah, easier said than done. It’s been 19 days since, and no Coach is in sight. You would think, as the brother Stace mentioned in our Counter Ruck chat, that NZR would have lined up a successor before dropping the bomb on Scotty. Surely?... Not. The Emergency firing has turned into an emergency hiring for a new coach. We’ve already been privy to the process and requirements of the job description, thanks again to the clear, concise comms from NZR. (a far cry from the cloak and dagger type shenanigans around the Fozzie / Razor succession orchestrated by former NZR CEO Mark Robinson) Those job requirements narrow the selection to candidates off contract, with overseas experience, and some success in the past. Fan favourite and top of the list of any journalist or sports podcaster out there is Jamie Joseph, one-half of the super coach team of Joseph and Brown. The second possible is Dave Rennie, who is off contract, having applied his trade in Japan after a successful championship run with the Chiefs and stint with the Wallabies.
So, who do I think NZR should go with? The answer might make you do one of 4 things: roll your eyes, X out of this window, press ‘menu’ on your phone, or 4, continue reading to find out why the fuck I'd suggest such blasphemy. That, my fearless and loyal readers, I am suggesting NZR should bring back Ian Foster.
Now, I hope you are doing the number 4 thing above. If so, hear me out. Like most of you, I was a Fozzie hater; in my opinion, he was the weakest of the last 3 coaches, and so when the All Blacks' succession plan allowed Fozzie to take the mantle at the start of 2020, I wasn't convinced, and neither was the NZ public. Forward 4-years and 70% for the lowest winning record later, our concerns were realised. But, if you look at Razor’s record, he finishes 20 wins from 27 tests for 74%. In comparison, after 2 years, Fozzie’s record (2020-2021) stands at 21 wins from 27 tests, for 78%. Similar results, which explain Dave Kirk's point of no improvement. Razor seemed like the best choice to replace Fozzie at the time, but he’s gone not only due to results, poor halftime communication during tests the ABs lost, but also for implementing a new coaching structure, which ended up far too nuanced. I mean, what the hell did Razor mean when he told the media he is a ‘Culture Coach’ and that his assistant Scott Hanson had the role of a traditional All Blacks head coach? Was Hanson the true coach of the All Blacks, and Razor some kind of player culture consultant that obviously backfired since the player feedback wasnt taking too kindly? The handling of the black jersey was botched, NZR was bamboozled, and after the player review, the damage was done, 2 years to fix it. This is one of the reasons Fozzie must come back. If you’re talking about back to the drawing board, then we've got to be talking about back to the tail end of the 3 wise men era, after all, no All Black complained about Fozzie, and they even backed him after that World Cup loss to England.
Sure, the 3 wise men were in fact Graham Henry, Steve Hansen, and Wayne Smith, but Fozzie was a part of that team in the periphery as an assistant, soaking up that World Cup-winning knowledge and experience towards his tenure. In an emergency, you've got to Bring Back The Foz. Finish what he started. I say give Fozzie a 2-year contract, let him see out the next World Cup, and let him go properly now that Mark Robinson is gone. After the World Cup, NZR can sign Jamie Joseph as the new head coach, and by then, Tony Brown is off contract with the Springboks, NZR can sign him up too. So step one is for David Kirk and crew to get down on their hands and knees and beg Fozzie to return, and step two is to ensure the services of Tony Brown and Jamie Joseph are available post-World Cup 2027. Make it make sense! I think I just did… you’re welcome