All Blacks head coach Ian Foster has revealed that he has no qualms with his predecessor Steve Hansen helping the Wallabies ahead of the upcoming Rugby World Cup.
With the global showpiece in France set to kick off in just over a fortnight, news of Hansen’s decision to help Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones with his team’s preparations ahead of the tournament has caused a stir in New Zealand.
Eddie Jones battling as Wallabies coach
Since taking over the Wallabies coaching reins from New Zealander Dave Rennie, Jones has found the going touch as his team have lost all four matches they’ve played so far this year.
The 2015 World Cup-winning coach expertise has obviously been utilised to make Australia more competitive at this year’s tournament, but his defection was greeted with shock by All Blacks hooker Dane Coles while New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins joked that Hansen’s citizenship should be revoked.
Although Foster admitted that he is amused by the fuss, he is not taking Hansen’s decision to assist the Wallabies personally.
“Outstanding, he’s agreed to give me three pages of notes on everything going on in their campaign,” he said jokingly to reporters. “I chuckle at the headlines – you guys must be pretty excited by it.
“He told me a month ago he was going in. He’s good mates with Eddie.
“There’s no lack of trust at all from his commitment to us and to what we do and sharing stuff, so I’ve got no issues. We might bring him in for a couple of days ourselves.”
Coles was genuinely surprised and said he was “gobsmacked” when informed of Hansen’s decision to help Australia and Foster has given the hooker’s reaction some context.
“Let’s get that right, you guys asked Dane Coles a question… you surprised him, which is great and that’s your job, but you do know Dane Coles,” he said. “He’s a beautiful man, he’s emotive and he said exactly what he thought, and that’s his first reaction.
“I get that and I love that reaction – it just adds to the story, but it doesn’t change the facts.”
Different attitude for other opposition
With Australia on the opposite side of the World Cup draw, New Zealand are only likely to face the Wallabies until late in the tournament and Foster admitted his attitude might be different, if Hansen was helping immediate rivals France, South Africa or Ireland.
“Yeah probably, but jeepers, surely we’ve got a better topic to talk about than Steve Hansen going to the Aussies for a couple of beers with Eddie,” he said.
“I’m happy to keep talking about it, but I really don’t think there’s much in it.”
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