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Ian Foster hits back: 'Those headlines came out without any facts behind it'
All Blacks coach Ian Foster has hit out at reports suggesting several players are considering pulling out of this year’s Rugby Championship for family reasons.
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Reports emerged yesterday that a group of key All Blacks players told New Zealand Rugby that they don’t want to leave their families for up to 10 weeks to play in the competition, which could include spending Christmas in quarantine.
Among the players named were first-fives Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett, halfback TJ Perenara and winger Sevu Reece.
Both Mo’unga and Perenara recently had newborn babies, while Barrett and Reece are also expecting their first children.
The reports came after Sanzaar announced that Australia will host the Rugby Championship in November and December, with the All Blacks due to play the Wallabies in two Bledisloe Cup tests in New Zealand in October.
While dates for the Rugby Championship haven’t been confirmed, reports suggest All Blacks players could be forced to spend Christmas in quarantine due to New Zealand’s 14-day quarantine rules.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB, Foster denied claims that some of his players were set to skip the four-team competition – although he did admit discussions were being held with players about the issue.
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“I read that report yesterday and it was pretty frustrating that those headlines came out without any facts behind it,” Foster said. “Are we in trouble? No, we’re not in trouble. Are we having conversations with players? Of course we are.
“We’re trying to be responsible employers and talk to a whole lot of players. This is all new to everyone, taking players away for nine weeks where you can’t get back and it’s becoming increasingly obvious it’s going to be hard to bring players over later.
“So it’s a big chunk of time and we’re just working in through with players.”
Foster said he had spoken to the players named in the reports and insisted it wasn’t true.
“I’ve had no player at all, and I’ve spoken to the players who were noted in the articles. I’ve spoken to all those players and I haven’t heard anything like what has been reported. Right now, people just want to know what the facts are and we’re gathering them up at the moment.”
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Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed that the New Zealand Government will change quarantine rules to allow the Wallabies more time to prepare for the Bledisloe Cup in New Zealand.
Ardern said the director general of health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, had advised that the Wallabies would now be able to start training after three days and as a full squad after six days, with previous protocols restricting the team to training in limited bubbles.
The Prime Minister also said she spoke to her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison last night to ensure the two Bledisloe Cup tests would go ahead, following claims from Wallabies coach Dave Rennie that the team may boycott the first test if they weren’t allowed enough time to prepare.
Foster said he was “thrilled” with the change in quarantine rules to allow the Bledisloe tests to go ahead.
“Very thrilled with that even though we’re bitterly disappointed we’re losing the Rugby Championship but we’re finished sulking about that,” Foster said. “We’re looking forward to it and now can’t wait to sort out these Bleds. A little bit of water to go under the bridge but today’s news is positive.”
Foster also responded to Rennie’s threat to skip the first test altogether, saying there’s now no excuses for Australia not to play both tests.
“He’s come out strong based on information about the quarantine. We listened to that. But at the same time we were busy talking hard with the Government about relaxing it.
“Now I think we’ve achieved that, when you look an equitable situation which is about giving two teams a fair chance at preparing. To basically have 13 free days to prepare for a test match, in an international sports world is huge.
“Really, I don’t think there’s any excuse for them not to come over and play in that weekend.”
Such a shame for the Brave Blossoms. https://t.co/hfgMQDWQtY
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 14, 2020
New Zealand was confirmed to host two Bledisloe Cup tests after missing out on the hosting rights for the Rugby Championship due to restrictive quarantine protocols.
Foster admitted losing the Rugby Championship hosting rights to Australia was disappointing but refused to say New Zealand “blew it”.
“I wouldn’t say we blew it. It looks like it because we had it and then it went. While it’s frustrating, we’re fully aware there are a whole lot of variables in play and quite frankly life hasn’t been fair this year for too many people and we’ve just got to take that one on the chin.
“What we do need to do is make sure we do these two Bledisloes and in a fair way. I think what’s happened now with the quarantine has basically put us in a situation where we can offer the Aussies nine full days in quarantine preparing, four full days once they are out, which is about 13 days by my maths.
“When you look at our preparation for the first Bled, we’ve got a three-day camp, a four-day camp and a six-day lead-in – so we’ve got 13 days. Really can’t see any reason we can’t be playing on that weekend.”
No official dates have been confirmed for the Bledisloe Cup tests yet.
Comments on RugbyPass
Jake White talks more sense than anything I've read in the last 5 years. Hope someone's listening.
9 Go to commentsThe Springboks tried going down the road of only picking home-based players and it was an unmitigated disaster in 2016 and 2017. Picking overseas-based players has been one of the main reason the Boks have done so well since 2018, not only because of the quality Rassie could call on, but because of the knowledge and experience those players brought into camp from England, France and Japan. With some of the big names playing abroad it also gave younger players in SA the chance to break through at franchise level. Would we have seen the emergence of a Ruan Nortje if RG and Lood were still at the Bulls? Not so sure. I understand why Jake would want to block players leaving since his job depends on good results but it’s an approach that would take Bok rugby back to the bad old days and no South African wants to see that.
9 Go to commentsExeter were thumped by 38 points. And they only had to hop on a train.
35 Go to commentsI am De Groot.
1 Go to commentsHad hoped you might write an article on this game, Nick. It’s a good one. Things have not gone as smoothly for ROG since beating Leinster last year at the Aviva in the CC final. LAR had the Top 14 Final won till Raymond Rhule missed a simple tackle on the excellent Ntamack, and Toulouse reaped the rewards of just staying in the fight till the death. Then the disruption of the RWC this season. LAR have not handled that well, but they were not alone, and we saw Pau heading the Top 14 table at one stage early season. I would think one of the reasons for the poor showing would have to be that the younger players coming through, and the more mature amongst the group outside the top 25/30, are not as strong as would be hoped for. I note that Romain Sazy retired at the end of last season. He had been with LAR since 2010, and was thus one of their foundation players when they were promoted to Top 14. Records show he ended up with 336 games played with LAR. That is some experience, some rock in the team. He has been replaced for the most part by Ultan Dillane. At 30, Dillane is not young, but given the chances, he may be a fair enough replacement for Sazy. But that won’be for more than a few years. I honestly know little of the pathways into the LAR setup from within France. I did read somewhere a couple of years ago that on the way up to Top 14, the club very successfully picked up players from the academies of other French teams who were not offered places by those teams. These guys were often great signings…can’t find the article right now, so can’t name any….but the Tadgh Beirne type players. So all in all, it will be interesting to see where the replacements for all the older players come from. Only Lleyd’s and Rhule from SA currently, both backs. So maybe a few SA forwards ?? By contrast, Leinster have a pretty clear line of good players coming through in the majority of positions. Props maybe a weak spot ? And they are very fleet footed and shrewd in appointing very good coaches. Or maybe it is also true that very good coaches do very well in the Leinster setup. So, Nick, I would fully concurr that “On the evidence of Saturday’s semi-final between the two clubs, the rebuild in the Bay of Biscay is going to take longer than it is on the east coast of Ireland”
11 Go to commentsWhat was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
35 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
86 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
86 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
9 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
35 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
9 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
9 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
11 Go to comments