New Zealand head coach Ian Foster insisted Wednesday he had identified for a month that predecessor Steve Hansen had agreed to assist rivals Australia put together for the Rugby World Cup.
Hansen is helping Australia boss Eddie Jones, a long-time good friend, as an unpaid adviser this week whereas the Wallabies put together to face World Cup hosts France in a warm-up match in Paris on Saturday.
New Zealand hooker Dane Coles stated he was “gobsmacked” by 2015 World Cup-winning coach Hansen’s transfer.
But Foster, like Coles talking in London, the place the All Blacks are making ready for his or her warm-up match towards reigning world champions South Africa at Twickenham on Friday, was in jovial temper when requested for his views on the topic.
“Outstanding,” stated Foster. “He (Hansen) has agreed to give me three pages of notes about everything that’s going on in their camp … I chuckle at the headlines.”
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Formerly Hansen’s assistant within the New Zealand set-up earlier than succeeding his outdated boss in 2020, the 58-year-old Foster added: “You guys (the media) must be pretty excited by it, but he told me a month ago he was going in.
“He (Hansen) is good mates with Eddie, but there’s no lack of trust (between Hansen and New Zealand) and in his commitment to us. I’ve got no issues really,” Foster additionally informed a news convention after naming his workforce to play the Springboks.
“In fact, we might bring him in for a couple of days.”
Hansen’s ‘defection’ to the Wallabies’ camp led New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins to quip the nation ought to “cancel his citizenship”, earlier than including shortly “that’s a joke — just to be very clear”.
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In a cellphone interview with New Zealand radio station Newstalk ZB from Paris, Hansen defined he’s observing Australia as a favour to Jones.
Hansen, 64, stated he would “just like to put everybody’s mind at rest that I haven’t joined the Wallabies for the Rugby World Cup”.
“I’m only here for about three or four days at the request of Eddie, a good mate of mine, just to give him some feedback on what he is doing. Rugby is bigger than all of us, so happy to do that,” he added.
Hansen insisted his involvement with Australia was on a voluntary foundation.
“If you are working for someone, you are getting paid. I’m not working for anyone, I’m just here as a friend,” he stated.
The All Blacks and Wallabies have been drawn in numerous World Cup swimming pools however may meet within the knockout stage.
New Zealand play fellow heavyweights France within the opening match on September 8, with Pool A additionally that includes Italy, Namibia and Uruguay.
Australia face Wales, Fiji, Georgia and Portugal in Pool C.
Source: www.foxsports.com.au