'I wasn't quite sure if I was sick or nervous': Foster's Covid update
New Zealand head coach Ian Foster joked he was unsure whether he was “sick or nervous” after suffering cold sweats and sleepless nights ahead of the first Test with Ireland following a positive Covid-19 Test.
Foster expects to be in attendance at a sold-out Eden Park in Auckland for Saturday’s series opener on the back of disrupted preparation carried out remotely.
Coronavirus has swept through the All Blacks camp, with assistant coaches John Plumtree, Scott McLeod and Greg Feek also forced to isolate, in addition to players David Havili, Jack Goodhue and Will Jordan.
“As long as things go well and I stay the way I’m staying then the answer to that is ‘yes’,” Foster told a press conference, when asked if he will be at the match.
“I was one of those ones that was pretty lucky really.
“The first two nights were cold sweats and sleepless nights, so that’s pretty normal for an All Blacks head coach before the first Test of the year. I wasn’t quite sure if I was sick or nervous!
“I’ve actually got through it pretty lightly to be fair and maybe being a little bit distracted with something else on my mind has helped me.”
Foster’s team selection includes a debut for Crusaders wing Leicester Fainga’anuk and regular second-rower Scott Barrett picked at blindside flanker for the first time since the 2019 World Cup.
Openside flanker Sam Cane captains the hosts, while lock Sam Whitelock will surpass Keven Mealamu as the second most-capped All Black Test player after being selected for his 133rd Test.
Whitelock’s fellow Test centurions Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett form the half-back partnership.
Former Ireland boss Joe Schmidt, who was scheduled to join New Zealand’s setup after the series, has been in camp to assist with preparations due to the enforced absences among the coaching team.
Foster admits there have been plenty of alterations to his plans.
Asked how many times he has redone the team sheet, the 57-year-old said: “A lot – and that’s just with the management team. Clearly it’s been intriguing.
“Quite frankly people are getting used to communicating and being communicated to by Zoom so it’s something that we talked about may happen.
“I didn’t really want it to be me that got snipered first but that’s the way it worked.
“It hasn’t been easy preparing a Test team from home and I’ve probably got to apologise to my wife for my behaviour for the last four days.
“Between that and the rolling-the-sleeves up attitude of our leaders, I think we’ve just done it collectively. Hey, it’s not the way we planned but it doesn’t mean it can’t be equally effective.
“We’re excited with the team we’re putting out. It doesn’t change the statement we want to put out.”
New Zealand team: J Barrett (Hurricanes); S Reece (Crusaders), R Ioane (Blues), Q Tupaea (Chiefs), L Fainga’anuku (Crusaders); B Barrett (Blues), A Smith (Highlanders); G Bower (Crusaders), C Taylor (Crusaders), O Tu’ungafasi (Blues), B Retallick (Chiefs), S Whitelock (Crusaders), S Barrett (Crusaders), S Cane (Chiefs, capt), A Savea (Hurricanes).
Replacements: S Taukei’aho (Chiefs), K Tu’inukuafe (Blues), A Ta’avao (Chiefs), P G Sowakula (Chiefs), D Papalii (Blues), F Christie (Blues), R Mo’unga (Crusaders), B Ennor (Crusaders).
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar 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.
9 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.
35 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.
2 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
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 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
35 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.
35 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.
35 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.
35 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 commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments