About Schmidt: Former Ireland head coach a bit player in All Blacks drama

Ian Foster could be about to discover the dreaded vote of confidence is not exclusive to soccer.

Just two weeks after receiving the backing of the New Zealand Rugby board, Foster heads into Saturday's Rugby Championship rematch against Argentina with his job on the line.

Six defeats in their last eight games, three losses in a row on New Zealand soil; these are crisis times for the All Blacks. The four-try victory in Johannesburg that earned Foster a stay of execution has already been forgotten.

Argentina will leapfrog New Zealand in the world rankings for the first time if they secure back-to-back wins in Hamilton, while also condemning their hosts to a new ranking low of sixth.

With around ten games between now and next September's Rugby World Cup opener against France, time is running out for NZR if they are to make a change.

Scott Robertson is being touted as the next man in line but there is a more straightforward replacement, one which has surprisingly gained little traction in New Zealand. Someone who is already on the national coaching ticket and has a proven record of success at international level.

Joe Schmidt has been reluctant to accept a hands-on role since returning home following his 12-year stint in Europe and is believed to have taken some convincing from Foster to come on board as attack coach. But it was his appointment, coupled with the backing of some senior players, that kept Foster in the job when the All Blacks returned from South Africa.

Axing Foster still won’t go down well with those same players, but they may be more appreciative if his successor is someone who backed the embattled coach in the first place.

While Robertson remains the fans’ favourite, having transformed the Crusaders into the dominant