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Ian Foster on why the All Blacks haven't 'compromised' with their selection
The All Blacks have made just four personnel changes to their starting line-up for Saturday’s rematch with the Springboks, with head coach Ian Foster suggesting that the new additions should help freshen up the side without eroding any of the lessons from the week prior.
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The addition of Luke Jacobson in place of Ethan Blackadder is the sole change to the forward pack – although it’s the same set of players that were originally named for last weekend’s match before Jacobson was a late scratching.
In the backs, Brad Weber takes over from TJ Perenara at halfback, Anton Lienert-Brown returns from injury in the midfield, shifting Rieko Ioane to the left wing and George Bridge out of the 23, while Sevu Reece takes over from Will Jordan on the right.
“There’s a bit of a balance [to the changes] but we haven’t wanted to compromise on the result that we want,” Foster said after revealing his squad for the 101st match between the two nations. “We were delighted with the result last week. We weren’t as delighted with the performance. And you get that, going through a season.
“We clearly want to take some learnings from our South African game last week and apply them and in order to get the lessons, putting a large part of the group out again is going to be important but we’re also acknowledging that five tests in a row has really given us a chance to freshen up a few areas and maybe look at the impact of our bench, what we really wanted in that last 30, and what that meant on the selection of the starting XV.
“There’s been a little bit gone into [the selection] to try to balance out the workload but also the occasion. Let’s not move past the fact that this is a big opportunity. We didn’t play South Africa last year. They’ve been number one in the world and we want to learn as much as we can about how to play against them.”
In some ways, the changes are fairly predictable, given the areas where the All Blacks struggled last weekend and after factoring in the men returning from injury and illness.
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“In the pack, we’ve basically resorted to the loose forward trio that we named last week,” Foster said. “Obviously Luke had to pull out so it’s good to have him back. In the backs, Brad’s going well, really happy with Brad and TJ but it’s just part of growing Brad, I think, give him another chance to play against South Africa and use TJ’s experience off the bench.
“In the back three, it’s been great to be able to bring Anton back from his hamstring [injury] so restoring him to centre and Sevu and Rieko go on the wing, [which] clearly was an area we felt we needed to improve from last week and they’ve got a real focus on that.
“I think Sevu’s played really well for us. Rieko’s gone well too and I think our back three perhaps weren’t at the level that we needed them to be last week. Clearly a message has been sent.”
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Bridge, in particular, had a less than savoury performance under the high ball on the left flank and while Ioane has shouldered a massive load throughout the season, having featured in every test for the All Blacks, his form has made him too hot to leave out.
Jacobson’s return should also help shore up the breakdown, with the clean-out not where it needed to be from both the backs and the forwards, despite Blackadder’s impressive physical showing against the Springboks.
In fact, Blackadder was so good that Foster and his fellow selectors had to think very carefully about whether they wanted to keep the young loose forward in the starting line-up instead of relegating him to the bench.
“He’s been great,” Foster said. “But he’s also a very physical rugby player and that’s two big games in a row that he’s played from a physical side.
“I think one of the talking points or one of the strategies is when you look at our bench, we’ve brought George Bower in, we’ve got Asafo [Aumua] coming in, Ofa [Tuungafasi], I think, will be better after a couple of hit-outs after a big long break.
“I thought Patty [Tuipulotu] was good off the bench and with Ethan now, I think we’ve got a forward bench [selected] with a plan to go into that last part of the game, [at the end of] five tests in a row and bring plenty of energy and enthusiasm so there’s a little bit of a strategy around that and you could probably put TJ and Damian [McKenzie] in that same mix.”
The Springboks, meanwhile, have made just one change to their run-on side for the game, bringing Ox Nche into the No 1 jersey and shifting Trevor Nyakane to the tighthead side of the scrum.
Saturday’s match – the final game of this year’s Rugby Championship – kicks off at 8:05pm AEST.
Comments on RugbyPass
True Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
21 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
10 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
78 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
21 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
10 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
21 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
21 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
21 Go to comments