Ian Foster reveals All Blacks plans while fixtures remain uncertain
Ian Foster will know by the end of next week when he gets to unleash his new All Blacks era.
Through the near-constant postponements and schedule alternations Foster has been forced to patiently wait, and then wait some more, but Sunday marked the official start of his All Blacks tenure, with the naming of a 35-man squad at New Zealand Rugby headquarters that included seven new caps and an abundance of attacking flair.
The Herald understands a Sanzaar meeting on Thursday will finally set in place the test schedule for the remainder of the year, with an official announcement due on Friday.
The All Blacks are expected to begin with two Bledisloe Cup matches against Dave Rennie’s Wallabies but where and when those fixtures are staged is yet to be determined.
While Foster awaits confirmation, the All Blacks will disperse to their provincial unions for the first two rounds of that competition which starts next Friday when North Harbour host Canterbury in Albany.
“We’re in a great position now, and hopefully we don’t have to wait too long while we sort out some dates, but we’ve got the chance to put them back into Mitre 10 Cup and keep in touch with the players and they can inject a lot of enthusiasm about playing in that competition,” Foster said after including rookie prospects Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan, Alex Hodgman, Quinten Strange, Tupou Vaa’i, Cullen Grace and Hoskins Sotutu to a core of established All Blacks.
“Rather than keeping this group in a camp we thought it was better for them to go back there until we have a clear idea about our programme.
“We’re extremely hopeful of some tests with Aussie and after that we’re not too sure but we’ll wait and see. In the meantime we’re fortunate we can put them back in Mitre 10 Cup.”
Watching 10 tries and a raft of classy skill in the North against South inter-island game on Saturday night in Wellington fuelled Foster’s enthusiasm to get his first test match in charge underway.
“There’s some guys there that just want to play. We’re seeing guys who have a breath of enthusiasm and love for the game. We’re seeing players trying to push things a little bit and that’s going to have its flaws and we’ve got to make sure we harness that but it is an exciting group.”
Other than 20-year-old Taranaki and Chiefs lock Vaa’i, the North-South match did little to alter the selectors’ minds.
“We didn’t change our 35 based on last night. We certainly got some pleasant reminders from people who didn’t make it about how much they want to be here. There was probably one player in our 35 that we needed to see a couple of things to make sure we were 100 per cent sure and we got that confirmation so we felt pretty good last night.
“What we saw was a game the players put a lot of meaning into. I said let’s assess it after the fact and it’s after the fact and it looked pretty good so I’d love to see it [again], where it fits I don’t know.”
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Injuries could yet alter Foster’s squad.
Crusaders centre Braydon Ennor will have scans once he returns to Christchurch to determine the extent of a knee injury he suffered 13 minutes into the South’s victory. If he is ruled out, Hurricanes midfielder Peter Umaga-Jensen may be the next rookie in line for a maiden call up.
“Hopefully it’s not too bad and we’ll rehab him, and if it is bad we’ll have to add someone in.”
The outlook for Dane Coles, Sam Cane and Strange is more positive.
Scott Barrett (toe) and Ngani Laumape (forearm) are not due back until early November at the earliest but Foster indicated they would be brought straight into the squad when fit.
Coles is back running after his niggly calf injury and will return for Wellington in the next two-to-three weeks.
All Blacks captain Cane will play his first match for Bay of Plenty in five years this weekend after almost one month out with concussion. And after a frustrating year of injury set-backs, Crusaders lock Strange is scheduled to resume contact on September 20 and then return for Tasman.
Foster singled out Highlanders hooker Liam Coltman and Chiefs prop Angus Ta’avao as the unlucky omissions, and said Alex Hodgman earned his inclusion after maturing his scrummaging work with the Blues this season.
Vaa’i ranks as the biggest bolter, surging into the frame after working as a labourer with his father in Auckland before the Chiefs came calling as injuries decimated their second-row stocks.
“We’ve watched him the last 18 months and were really impressed with him in the under-20s training camps. He’s a very physical young man with good height and size. He’s competent and calm in his set piece areas he doesn’t get too flustered and around the park he’s got really good intuition. At 20 he’s got a lot of developing to do but you’re already looking at a man who is 116kg and got a great frame. He’s got a lot of promise.”
All Blacks squad:
Asafo Aumua, Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett, George Bridge, Sam Cane, Caleb Clarke, Dane Coles, Braydon Ennor, Shannon Frizell, Jack Goodhue, Cullen Grace, Alex Hodgman, Akira Ioane, Rieko Ioane, Will Jordan, Nepo Laulala, Anton Lienert-Brown, Tyrel Lomax, Damian McKenzie, Joe Moody, Richie Mo’unga, Dalton Papalii, TJ Perenara, Sevu Reece, Ardie Savea, Aaron Smith, Hoskins Sotutu, Quinten Strange, Codie Taylor, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ofa Tuungafasi, Tupou Vaa’i, Brad Weber, Sam Whitelock
Comments on RugbyPass
No 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
3 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.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 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.
54 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.
3 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
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments