All Blacks coach Ian Foster could have two World Cups on his mind this year, after daughter Michaela made her Football Ferns debut against Argentina.
Called up to the New Zealand squad last week, the Wellington Phoenix defender was introduced on the hour-mark of the 2-0 defeat at Hamilton's Waikato Stadium on Monday.
A long-serving first-five and coach for Waikato in provincial and Super Rugby, the proud father returned to his old stomping ground to watch his daughter's debut, after offering her a few words of encouragement.
"He's always trying to give me advice," Michaela, 24, joked.
"No, he's pretty good. He was just telling me to kind of enjoy the moment.
"I guess we were both unsure whether I would get on the field this tour or not, but he said just go in with an open mind, open eyes and just soak it all up.
"He knows it's a high-pressure environment, but as long as you're kind of open to everything and learning, you'll get the most out of it."
Just as her father will hope the All Blacks can peak at the Rugby World Cup in France this year, Foster will hope her international breakthrough can lead to a place in New Zealand's squad for the women's Football World Cup.
New Zealand is co-hosting the showpiece with Australia - a big deal for the roundball game in a rugby-mad country.
Her father has played no small part in the All Blacks' rise into a global branding powerhouse, as a assistant coach to Steve Hansen's World Cup winners in England in 2015, before taking the top job after the 2019 tournament in Japan.
He will hope to guide the team to a record fourth World Cup triumph in France, a year after New Zealand's Black Ferns won the women's showpiece on home soil.
Despite living and breathing rugby his whole life, Foster's enthusiasm for the sport did not extend to his two daughters playing it. Instead, He has been right behind Michaela's development as a footballer, even if long rugby tours have often kept them apart.
"I did a little bit of rugby and enjoyed it, had a lot of fun with it," Michaela said. "But I think Dad tried to push me and my sister away from rugby a little bit.
"He probably saw that I enjoyed football a little more, I think. He's been to as many games as he can - him and mum are always trying to get to them.
"It's pretty cool to have them in the crowd."
If his daughter is picked for the World Cup, Foster may struggle to catch much of the action while on All Blacks duty. The international season kicks off in early July.
Michaela's football commitments may also disrupt plans to support her dad at the Rugby World Cup in France. Both will be proud supporters, whether from the terraces or from a distance.
"I'm extremely proud of what he's achieved in the rugby world and what he is continuing to achieve," said Michaela.
"Either way, I've always been watching All Blacks games he's been coaching, no matter where I am in the world."
Reuters
