1
'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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
“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
Super rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
8 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
8 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
8 Go to comments