Ian Foster on verge of resignation after latest All Blacks flop
All Blacks head coach Ian Foster is facing fresh calls to step down after his side’s latest loss and he could now fall on his sword at the behest of New Zealand Rugby.
The All Blacks didn’t lack for fight but were ultimately dominated by the Springboks in front of more than 40,000 fans at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit – the first game of the 2022 Rugby Championship.
A late try by loose forward Shannon Frizell appeared to put some gloss on the scoreboard for the visiting team only for Springboks fullback Willie Le Roux to score in the last play of the game to seal what was an emphatic 26-10 victory.
In truth, the All Blacks didn’t pose much of a threat and it was largely one-way traffic following an early try from the electric Kurt-Lee Arendse.
It’s a fifth loss in six Tests for the men in black – a heretofore unheard of run of results for the giants of the sport. They will now drop to their lowest ever World Rugby rankings position – fifth – by dint of having lost the game by 15 points or more.
If media reports in New Zealand are to be believed, Foster may even resign off the back of the latest capitulation.
The New Zealand Herald reported yesterday that Foster was asked by NZR to step down if his side lost to the Springboks – a move that would be welcomed by many if not most in the rugby-mad nation.
After the game, Foster told Sky Sport’s NZ on the pitch side that the loss in ‘many ways’ was “probably our best performance of the year”.
"In many ways that was probably our best performance of the year"
An actual sentence just uttered by Ian Foster#RSAvNZL
— TAB NZ (@TAB_NZL) August 6, 2022
A win in the second Test may yet save Foster and give the NZR an out, but as far as many fans are concerned, Foster is a metaphorical dead man walking.
Indeed social media for the most appears to think the jig is up for Foster, who took over from Steve Hansen following the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Mark Keohane wrote: “The All Blacks lacked for nothing in desire, intent or passion, but currently they aren’t good enough & certainly Ian Foster most definitely not good enough as a head coach.”
The @AllBlacks lacked for nothing in desire, intent or passion, but currently they aren't good enough & certainly Ian Foster most definitely not good enough as a head coach.
— Mark Keohane (@mark_keohane) August 6, 2022
Jamie Phillips wrote: “Clock must be ticking for Ian Foster after yet another limp All Blacks performance. Toothless in attack and they’re still making silly errors. Comfortable win for the Springboks. Malcolm Marx was outstanding in the loose today.”
Clock must be ticking for Ian Foster after yet another limp All Blacks performance. Toothless in attack and they’re still making silly errors. Comfortable win for the Springboks. Malcolm Marx was outstanding in the loose today ?? #RSAvNZL
— Jamie Phillips (@JNPhillips4) August 6, 2022
Welsh reporter Jon Davies wrote: “5 defeats in 6 games, full on crisis mode for All Blacks! Smashed up in every way by Springboks today. Look rudderless and Savea aside alarming lack of leadership amongst players atm. Foster looks out of his depth, no direction, or consistency in selection”.
5 defeats in 6 games, full on crisis mode for All Blacks! Smashed up in every way by Springboks today. Look rudderless and Savea aside alarming lack of leadership amongst players atm. Foster looks out of his depth, no direction, or consistency in selection #RSAvsNZL
— Jon (@jondavies95) August 6, 2022
“Most dominant performance by the Boks against the All Blacks in the Erasmus / Nienaber era. NZ had no answer – totally and comprehensively outplayed,” wrote popular South African fan AP Cronje.
Most dominant performance by the Boks against the All Blacks in the Erasmus / Nienaber era. NZ had no answer – totally and comprehensively outplayed.
— A-P (@rugby_ap) August 6, 2022
Richard Knowler wrote in Stuff.co.nz that “Ian Foster can’t escape the nightmare. As he watched the All Blacks lose 26-10 to the Springboks in their Rugby Championship match in Mbombela on Sunday morning, Foster may have finally realised he is no longer the right man to coach this team.”
There is the second Test for Foster to steady the ship, but if that feat proves a game too far it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the 57-year-old holds on to his seat.
Comments on RugbyPass
I think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar 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.
11 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.
61 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.
7 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
61 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to comments