Foster has been at the Super 14 side Waikato Chiefs since 2004

Waikato Chiefs boss Ian Foster is to spend a second stint with the Ospreys to help caretaker coaches Jonathan Humphreys and Sean Holley.

Foster was at the region in pre-season and will help them prepare for December Heineken Cup clashes with Treviso.

Ospreys elite performance director Andrew Hore said: If we want to be the best... then we have to accept that we need to continue learning."

Hore has previously insisted Foster will to take over as Ospreys boss.

Foster is shadowing the All Blacks' coaches on their tour that will end with a Grand Slam bid against England at Twickenham on Saturday.

In a statement to announce Foster's return, Hore said: "He made a huge impact here during his previous visit and I know he is looking forward to working with the coaching team at the region once again.

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"Bringing a coach of Ian's stature to work with our coaches at this important time, with his expertise in the areas of technical and tactical application and development will certainly assist with the development of our coaching team.

"Ian has vast experience of this kind of mentor system, working closely with Warren Gatland when he was coach of Waikato, and on the flip side, bringing in Steve Hansen to assist at the Chiefs, so he fully appreciates the sensitivities and what is required.

"This type of arrangement works both ways, as well as assisting with the development of two exciting young coaches, he will also be gaining further experience of a different rugby culture, experiencing the day-to-day stresses of coaching in northern hemisphere rugby on the back of a short spell touring the UK with the All Blacks, with the view to becoming a more rounded coach himself."

In August Hore said: "Ian is not in the frame for the Ospreys head coach, he is under contract with the NZRU."

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