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Here we go again. The uneasy truce between New Zealand’s rugby fans and their head coach Ian Foster was exposed in its first test on Saturday when Michael Cheika’s Argentina continued the All Blacks’ annus horribilis with a historic win in Christchurch.
Mark Robinson, the NZR CEO who dithered then delivered the news that Foster was staying on, wasn’t in the stands to see the latest debacle. He was, at least, enjoying a New Zealand victory over in Adelaide, where he was on hand to watch the Black Ferns win over the Wallaroos.
Foster wasn’t happing with the officiating of the breakdown or his team’s ill-discipline to squander 67 percent territory and 60 percent possession
“Congratulations to Argentina, I thought they kept true to how they wanted to play and really frustrated us,” he said.
“We didn’t get what we wanted at the breakdown, we had large periods of dominance at our set piece and then that didn’t go well at the end.
Roar rugby experts Brett McKay, Jim Tucker and Harry Jones and editor Tony Harper come together for the post-mortem after the Wallabies’ incredible 25-17 win over South Africa as well as Argentina’s historic 25-18 win over New Zealand in Christchurch
“But overall I just felt that they got away with some stuff at the breakdown, and we weren’t able to deal with it.”
The All Blacks scored two tries to one but only scored three points in the second half as Argentina went ahead with their sole try and held firm.
“After that they grew an arm and a leg, and we probably got a little bit flustered,” Foster said.
“So we’ve got to look at our composure in those latter stages, particularly with the bench coming on, and we’ve just got to make sure we’re a little bit more ruthless at that breakdown. The ref was pretty harsh on entry, and we paid a price.”
“Surely everyone can agree there is something seriously wrong with the All Blacks: that the cosmetic surgery applied to the coaching team in recent weeks has not cured all the ills that beset the All Blacks,” wrote Gregor Paul in the New Zealand Herald.
Paul said “one result, it turns out, does not a summer make or indeed provide justification to have persevered with the All Blacks coaching regime and wider management team.
Ian Foster and Sam Cane. (Photo by Getty Images)
“There is still very much trouble at mill – the sort that doesn’t appear capable of being fixed without yet more changes being made to the leadership of the team.”
Paul said the NZR board opted for evolution over revolution when they opted to retain Foster and bolster his leadership with the promotion of Joe Schmidt.
“Perhaps they have to be thinking revolution now before it’s too late. The records can’t keep falling like this. A brand that was worth $3.5 billion at the start of the year must be tumbling in value and there needs to be an honest assessment that the hope that emerged in the wake of the All Blacks victory at Ellis Park, has shown itself to be false,” Paul wrote.
He said the performance in Christchurch showed “bits of the machine are working. There is power in the set-piece and bite in the defence.
“But the balance of bits working to broken is heavily weighted to the latter. The breakdown was carnage. Not in a physical sense, but in terms of discipline…
“They once again looked like a team plagued with self-doubt. They once again looked like a team who were uncertain about how to break free from a resilient defence or how to find ways to force the tempo up and to stop Argentina from being able to keep the contest a chug from one stoppage to the next: a glacial encounter that trudged from set-piece to set-piece.
“They were once again beaten – the story of 2022.”
Liam Napier, also in the NZ Herald, lamented the unwanted history of Argentina’s first ever win in NZ and second of all time.
“Just when it seemed Foster would savour some clear air, after receiving his bosses’ belated backing and promoting Joe Schmidt to assistant coach last week, more unwanted history reared its ugly head,” wrote Napier.
“This loss to the Pumas consigns the All Blacks to their first three successive home defeat run in history – after the two losses against Ireland in July. While the Pumas recorded their maiden victory over the All Blacks two years ago in Australia, they had never previously tasted success in New Zealand.
“In their first visit to Christchurch for six years the All Blacks were intent on delivering further improvements from their statement Ellis Park victory against the Springboks that ultimately saved Foster’s tenure.
“Instead on a typically cold winter’s night, in a scrappy contest dominated by Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli who produced several bizarre rulings, the All Blacks immediately came down to earth with a thud.”
Robert van Royen, writing in Stuff, said “the hounds aren’t going away anytime soon, not after yet another All Blacks stinker.
“Head coach Ian Foster, less than two weeks after receiving backing through next year’s World Cup, can expect to cop plenty more flak after his side’s historic 25-18 loss to Argentina in Christchurch on Saturday night.
“Indeed, a maiden loss to the Pumas on home soil made it evident the All Blacks’ win over the Springboks in Johannesburg a fortnight ago was not the start of a bright new dawn.”
Richard Knowler, also writing in Stuff, seemed unaware of Robinson’s absence when he wrote, “it would not be over egging things to say the high priests of NZ Rugby must have felt like they had stumbled into a horror show, and become the main characters, after what unfolded in front of their eyes.
“This, remember, was Argentina’s first-ever win on New Zealand soil. What a nightmare. So many questions will be asked, again, about whether Foster is the right man to be the coach of this team through to the World Cup.”
Knowler said Foster had enjoyed a respectful greeting in Christchurch, home of potential next man in charge Scott Robertson.
“Before the game he marched up the stairs towards his office by swapping pleasantries with the local punters,” he wrote.
“There was no heckling, no belligerent behaviour from the fans as they watched him edge his way towards the coach’s box with his assistants.
“Foster would have welcomed the respectful greeting. Because, remember, this was ‘Razor’ Robertson country, the man many believed should have replaced Foster as coach when NZ Rugby last week decided to review whether the incumbent should be retained.
“Instead Crusaders coach Robertson, having been once again overlooked for the job, was on holiday in Australia.
“This was Foster’s show.
Afterwards, though, everyone was left asking. What on earth is happening with the All Blacks? What happens now?”
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.