MELBOURNE :Former All Blacks coach Ian Foster says unfinished business from the drawn British and Irish Lions series in 2017 will motivate him when he helps guide a team of Australian and New Zealand players against the touring side this year.
Foster on Thursday was confirmed on the coaching staff of the AUNZ Invitational XV who will play the Lions on July 12 at Adelaide Oval in the last tour match before the series-opening test against Australia in Brisbane a week later.
The Japan-based 59-year-old was a member of Steve Hansen’s staff when the All Blacks and Lions split the dramatic 2017 series 1-1 in New Zealand.
The deciding third test was drawn 15-15 at Eden Park after a late decision in the Lions’ favour.
“1-1 and a draw. It didn’t leave any of us very satisfied,” Foster told reporters in a video call on Thursday.
“Yeah, there is unfinished business. I think if you look back to the last minute of that Lions series – the third test at Eden Park and the drama of it, referee decisions that obviously we disagreed with and probably most people did.
“But that’s the drama of big series and that’s the part to look forward to.”
All Blacks fans cried foul after the Eden Park draw which saw referee Romain Poite overturn his decision to award New Zealand a penalty in the 78th minute when Lions hooker Ken Owens made contact with the ball in an off-side position.
Poite called for a scrum, denying the All Blacks a potentially match-winning kick at goal in a moment etched in Lions folklore.
Poite revealed four years later that he got the call wrong and trashed his changing room in anger at his mistake.
“There will always be drama and incidents involved in a Lions series,” said Foster, now coach at Toyota Verblitz under former boss Hansen, the director of rugby.
“So the chance to get involved – yeah, that would be quite nice to tick the box, wouldn’t it?”
As the first coach named, Foster is unaware who will join him on the AUNZ XV’s staff but saw himself working closely with Wallabies boss and fellow New Zealander Joe Schmidt on selections.
Foster said he hoped the team would be roughly a 60-40 split between Australians and New Zealanders, remarking there would be no shortage of Japan-based Kiwis keen to play.
“Maybe put a few younger, up-and-coming Australian players with some older heads maybe from ex-All Blacks and then maybe try to find a few older Wallaby heads,” said Foster, who coached the All Blacks to the 2023 World Cup final before making way for current boss Scott Robertson.
“That combination between the young and old, I think, is more important.”
Rugby Australia (RA) also confirmed on Thursday that a First Nations and Lions Pasifika XV will play the Andy Farrell-coached Lions on July 22 at Melbourne’s Docklands stadium ahead of the second Wallabies test on July 26.
On their last tour of South Africa in 2021, the Lions were defeated 2-1 by the Springboks when crowds were banned due to COVID-19.
This time round, some 500,000 fans are expected to attend the three tests and six tour matches in Australia, starting with the Lions’ opener against Super Rugby team Western Force in Perth on June 28.
