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'I have no idea' - Not even Ian Foster knows if win saved his job
The broad consensus this week was that a struggling New Zealand side would capitulate to the Springboks once again and that head coach Ian Foster would be given the marching his marching orders.
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The All Blacks failed to read the script.
The men in black put in a gutsy performance to earn a hard-fought 35-23 win on the Highveld, a result that will see them leapfrog South Africa into third in the World Rugby rankings.
Now the question on everyone’s lips is – has the boilover win in Johannesburg saved Foster’s neck?
The man himself seemed none the wiser. Asked immediately after the game if he would be in the job in two weeks and his reply was: “I have no idea, I am just going to enjoy tonight,” Foster told Sky Sports.
"I've got no idea" Ian Foster on if he expects to be coach in two weeks time. #RSAvsNZL
— Josh Price (@Pricejosh34) August 13, 2022
NZ Herald journalist Christopher Reive posted – possibly with tongue in cheek: “Can’t wait for Ian Foster to lead this team to World Cup glory in 2023”.
Can’t wait for Ian Foster to lead this team to World Cup glory in 2023
— Christopher Reive (@ChrisReive) August 13, 2022
RugbyPass columnist Andy Goode posted that he believed Foster’s job was safe. “Fair play to the All Blacks that’s some bounce back win especially with a tight 5 in reverse for large parts of the game. Savea was a monster and they’ve saved Ian Foster’s job right there!”
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Fair play to the @AllBlacks that’s some bounce back win especially with a tight 5 in reverse for large parts of the game. Savea was a monster and they’ve saved Ian Foster’s job right there!
— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) August 13, 2022
Newstalk ZB sports news director Matt Brown doesn’t think the impressive win will be enough to spare Foster the sack. “Well done All Blacks terrific response in the face of adversity, I didn’t see it coming but I still don’t think it will be enough to save coach Ian Foster.”
Well done @AllBlacks terrific response in the face of adversity, I didn't see it coming but I still don't think it will be enough to save coach Ian Foster.
— Matt Brown (@chahuahua) August 13, 2022
The joke doing the rounds in various forms is that the only positive for the Springboks [and maybe the rest of world rugby] from the win is that Foster will retain his job into next year’s Rugby World Cup. Squidge Rugby summed it up well, posting: “I’d like to thank South Africa for taking one for the team so Ian Foster is still in the job at the World Cup.”
I’d like to thank South Africa for taking one for the team so Ian Foster is still in the job at the World Cup.
— Squidge Rugby (@SquidgeRugby) August 13, 2022
Abdullah Mahmood saw the funny side of things, posting: “Ian Foster in the NZ changing room right now”.
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Ian Foster in the NZ changing room right nowpic.twitter.com/uLVzZ1mSEA
— Abdullah Mahmood (@AbbyDno7) August 13, 2022
It was a fait accompli that Foster would be fired if they lost in Ellis Park today. Now the eyes of the rugby world will fall on the NZR once again this week, as we wait with bated breath for the denouement to this fascinating rugby melodrama.
Comments on RugbyPass
Good to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
16 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
16 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
16 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
16 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
16 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
16 Go to comments