Foster: Faced strong competition

But while Redgrave is champing at the bit, Foster is hampered by his injury in his attempt to rejoin the crew and Coode is called into the quartet as a substitute.

When Foster's hand injury kept him out of a World Cup race in May 1998 the crew failed to cope with his loss and came fourth at Munich. It was Matthew Pinsent's and Redgrave's first defeat in any race for eight years.

But Coode proves a hit with team coach Jurgen Grobler and the revamped four contest the opening dates of the 1999 World Cup season with a fit-again Foster consigned to the eights.

The quartet win their World Cup races and Foster helps the eight to better-than-expected results.

Foster is not content to languish in the eight when he feels the best boat is the four and holds showdown talks with Grobler protesting at his exclusion from the gold-hungry crew.

But Grobler insists that Foster sticks with the eight, saying he is too important to the crew, and the younger, less-experienced Coode retains his place, much to the disappointment of Foster.

"I don't really see the eight as a long-term option. It's not what I'm aiming at.

"If I'm not rowing in the four I don't know whether I want to do it," he says.