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'We'll be the enemy for a while': All Blacks hoping to win over Lyon locals
Ian Foster has had a week now to digest his side’s historic loss to the Springboks but just as he did immediately following the match, the All Blacks coach appeared upbeat about where his team are at.
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The All Blacks were welcomed to their World Cup training base of Lyon with a ceremony on Friday where the coach reflected on last weekend’s loss with more rumination up his sleeve and an even bigger smile on his face.
While the rugby public has debated the significance of the loss, Foster made it clear his emphasis was on the dominant Rugby Championship campaign that preceded it rather than the World Cup warm-up.
“Every team has prepared in a different way for this tournament,” Foster told reporters at the welcome ceremony. “We feel we had a very strong Rugby Championship and had a bit of a break.
“We came over here and for us now, it’s about building our team and our game, not just for next Friday, but right through this tournament.
“We’re happy with where we’re at now. We don’t like losing, but it’s a game that was really a warm-up for the World Cup and nothing matters now.”
Putting the Twickenham Test behind them, the All Blacks find themselves in the heart of enemy territory as they settle into their new home for the World Cup campaign, a campaign that kicks off against the host nation of France.
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The Lyon locals have offered a friendly first impression despite their visitors being number one on the French team’s hit list come World Cup time.
“We’ll be the enemy for a while,” he added. “We know that, but it won’t change the fact I believe this city will host us magnificently.
“It’s a fantastic city, we know they’re excited about having us here and we can’t complain about being in such a beautiful spot. Hopefully, over time, the relationship deepens and they grow to like us a little bit.”
It’s a deep-rooted rivalry with many monumental moments, especially at World Cups. Foster himself has been part of the action since 2013’s French tour of New Zealand, winning those three and every further Test as an assistant but falling short in the one clash since taking the reigns as head coach.
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“In all my years, the All Black-French game is always a special one. We have a similar relationship with South Africa.
“The respect is very mutual, and it comes out of us both having victories and both having defeats on the field, yet when we walk off the field, both teams have respect for how they handle each other.
“I’m sure we’ll have a great relationship with France, as a people. We promise to do what we can, but at the end of the day, we’re here to win a tournament.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
41 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
41 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
41 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
39 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
41 Go to comments