Ian Foster explains 'balance' of new look All Blacks team for Uruguay
The All Blacks have named their 23 to face Uruguay in the last round of pool play at the Rugby World Cup, and in doing so, they have struck a fine balance between continuity, rest and opportunity.
The four players who returned from injury against Italy – Tyrel Lomax, Shannon Frizell, Sam Cane and Jordie Barrett – have each been named in the starting unit as the quartet re-establishs themselves as first-choice options in their respective positions.
Rest has been handed to the likes of Ardie Savea, Aaron Smith, Rieko Ioane and Mark Telea while David Havili is the only player unavailable due to injury with a hamstring niggle. Ethan de Groot is also serving the final game of his suspension after being shown a red card against Namibia.
Dynamic loose forward Ethan Blackadder gets his first crack at World Cup minutes after replacing Emoni Narawa in the squad, coming off the bench along with a nearly entirely Crusaders reserve forward pack. The back reserves are an all Blues affair.
Head coach Ian Foster offered some insight into the selection discussions after the team naming, stating history had informed the decision-making.
“A lot of history, looking at how guys performed consecutive weeks, consecutive Tests, the load that they’ve been carrying,” Foster told media.
“It’s a slightly tighter turnaround for this (game), the pleasing thing is we found, we had a two-week break and we delivered the performance against Italy, so we believe there are some players that respond well to that.
“And clearly, you’re making decisions now to make sure that you’re building the continuity and not taking a step back in the areas we feel we need to grow. But, we’ve also got to make some smart decisions because, let’s face it, we want to do well on Thursday and then we want three more games.
“We want to make sure we have the energy in the tank to do that so it’s getting that balance.”
Foster admits the coaches are “pretty clear” on what their top team looks like, but says there is always room for players to put their hand up.
The team needs a bonus point win to ensure their place in the quarter-finals, but the message is clear and simple.
“Look, we’ve selected the team that we think is best for this game,” Foster added.
“You’ve got to make sure that you prepare for the here and now, I guess with an eye to the future. You’ve got to get that balance right.
“But there’s enough challenges in the here and now. Uruguay represents some pretty significant challenges in many areas of the game for us that perhaps we have to get better in for the future anyway.
“They are an ambitious team. We know we are going to have to be alive defensively because they are going to want to take opportunities when they can. We also know they are highly combative at the breakdown. They’ve basically got the Rugby World Cup’s leading jackler in their team.
“Rugby, in many ways, is still pretty simple. You’ve just got to get two or three of your big rocks right every week and then the other stuff adds on top of that.”
Comments on RugbyPass
This is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
85 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
226 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
226 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
19 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
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