Former All Blacks Chief Makes Bold Prediction for Wallabies Before Lions Tour

Former All Blacks head coach Ian Foster has officially taken himself out of contention to succeed Joe Schmidt as Wallabies coach in October.

Foster worked alongside Schmidt as an assistant during New Zealand’s journey to the 2023 Rugby World Cup final in France.

Now 59, he is coaching Michael Hooper at Toyota Verblitz in Japan and will also be the coach for the AUNZ Invitational XV in their upcoming match against the British and Irish Lions in Adelaide on July 12.

“I believe it’s probably time for an Australian coach,” Foster remarked to journalists when asked about the Wallabies position.

“My accent doesn’t quite fit the bill. However, if you take a look in your own backyard, there are some talented coaches emerging, and I believe that’s where the focus should be.”

Recently, the Wallabies have relied significantly on New Zealand coaches, with three of the last six hailing from across the Tasman (Robbie Deans, Dave Rennie and Schmidt).

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Foster previously served as an assistant coach with the All Blacks during the controversial drawn series against the Lions in New Zealand in 2017.

He believes Australia has a real chance to surpass expectations and defeat the Lions this year, despite skepticism from bookmakers.

“Definitely. I think we witnessed notable progress last year,” Foster stated.

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“I’ve obviously collaborated closely with Joe over the years, and I can see the foundational aspects being established.

“There’s plenty of work ahead, and it’s encouraging to see some individual growth in Super Rugby, which is promising. Clearly, there’ll be a lot of enthusiasm from the players.

“But the Wallabies need to be at their peak. This Lions team will be formidable, likely driven by Irish and English players, I suspect.

“We know it will be a very physical encounter. They tend to play a strong, structured game with solid set-pieces, and that will pose a significant challenge for the Wallabies.

“Nevertheless, they’re making commendable progress, and these series are vital for growth, which needs to happen swiftly. I genuinely believe they have a solid chance.

“You could see a developing game for the Wallabies last year that I don’t think they will deviate from significantly.”