'A little bit of an uppercut for us': Ian Foster on the All Blacks biggest weakness
Head coach Ian Foster has revealed what he believes to be the All Blacks‘ biggest weakness as the side begins preparations for July’s blockbuster series against Ireland.
In a wide-ranging interview with The All Blacks Podcast, Foster explained that, throughout history, New Zealand’s premier rugby team has had two clear advantages over their opposition: speed and skill.
However, he said that in these two areas, other competitions and teams around the world have been catching up as they put their efforts into becoming faster sides.
As such, Foster told The All Blacks Podcast that speed and skill are the two “work on” aspects of New Zealand’s game that need improvement.
“Wow, I’m probably a glass half-full guy so I’m looking at the positives,” Foster said when asked by a fan question what the biggest weaknesses were.
“What are our biggest weaknesses, I think there are certainly some ‘work-on’ areas.
“There are two aspects that we have historically been number one in the world on.
“One is speed, and I’m talking about speed around the park and speed to do things, and the other one has been our skill level.
“Generally, All Black players have been really, really skilful, and we just think those are the two areas that other teams and other competitions are starting to catch up, they are putting a lot of effort in those areas.”
After losing their final two tests of last year against Ireland and France, Foster said those results came against teams that he described as fast and skilful, to the point that the All Blacks couldn’t match them on those fronts.
“I look at the experience last year, we had a great Rugby Championship, went really well, then went up to the UK. We weren’t able to be fast in those last two tests,” he explained.
“We played two teams that were fast. Two teams that were really quite skilful with their forwards and their backs.”
Foster added that those results were “a little bit of an uppercut” for the All Blacks and suggested there may have been things that his side took for granted in the lead-up to those losses.
“It’s just a little bit of an uppercut for us, really. Some things we have taken for granted has been sort of, ‘That’s the All Blacks, that’s just natural’,” he said.
“We are getting players through that are having to learn that stuff at the international stage to keep climbing the level. The work we are doing at the Super Rugby franchises [is] outstanding, but we have to keep driving that.”
The first challenge of the year for the All Blacks is the Irish tour, where they will get the chance to make amends for the result in Dublin last November.
Foster explained that this series outlined the importance of the series as a learning tool where they will experiment with their ideas to combat strong Northern Hemisphere teams.
“The Irish series is going to be vital. What’s great for us is we are still hurting from the last two, last year,” Foster said.
“We are pretty proud of what we did last year but the last two hurt. So we’ve got to take those lessons but we can go straight into it.
“We know we’ve got an Irish team that is largely based around Leinster, they’re in the European Championship final. They’ve got a lot of cohesion in that team and they will be really prepared.
“We’ve got a series with some real meat in it. Potentially in the past, we’ve had tired teams come down here. This is going to be a fantastic test for us.
“What I really love about it is, we are able to test some of our ideas to play Northern Hemisphere teams and those tight teams like South Africa.
“It’s all going to happen in July-August for us, with three against Ireland two against South Africa in South Africa, so we don’t have to wait til the end of the year to try some things out. It shortens our time to learn before the World Cup.
“We are going to get some real lessons early.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
51 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
51 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
51 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
51 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
51 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
51 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
51 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments