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All Blacks coach Ian Foster has endured plenty of criticism over the past two years but nothing will have prepared him for the barrage of invective that’s already started in the wake of a historic World Cup defeat.
The All Blacks’ first ever World Cup pool defeat, and their heaviest loss at a World Cup – after being comprehensively defeated by France in the opening match of the tournament – was a case of another week another unwanted record for Foster.
In the team’s final warm up game they were trounced by South Africa in their biggest ever losing margin.
Some South Africans were hailing the strategy of Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber in losing to the All Blacks last year when Foster’s neck was on the line – thereby saving his job and allowing him to bring this team to the World Cup.
Foster has been unfortunate with injuries – the latest setback was the absence of captain Sam Cane who had back spasms in the final training session.
“Sam was a lifter for a kick-off receive yesterday afternoon and felt his back sort of tweak – so we kept him til this morning but we made that decision,” Foster said.
“We’ve just got to find another pathway through this pool now.”
The coach, who will leave his post at the end of the tournament, said there was a “whole lot of good stuff” despite the 27-13 defeat.
“We created some good opportunities I thought – we started well and played the up-tempo game we wanted to but that second half they played a tight game, were able to slow it down and got on top of us a bit and we just couldn’t get out of our half,” Foster said.
“I think we got a bit frustrated when a couple of things happened – I thought we became victims in areas we needed to control a bit better.
“I actually thought there was a whole lot of good stuff there but they’re a big team, they’re a good team. In that second half I thought they just controlled the ball and the territory and just squeezed us.”
He added: “We’re not down in the sheds. We’re frustrated we lost a game. We fired some good bullets at them. We just didn’t fire enough.”
Replacement skipper Ardie Savea said his team’s discipline departed in the final 20 minutes as France turned the screw.
“It was a battle. It went back and forth. In that last 20 minutes our discipline let us down. We gave a few penalties away and they punished us,” Savea said.
“We lost the battle tonight. But we’ve still got a war to win.”
It was a stunning occasion in front of more than 80,000 at Stade de France, on a baking hot night. That it was the Kiwis who couldn’t stand the heat, surprised former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper, speaking on Stan Sport.
“I thought the French would have been in trouble,” said Hooper. “I thought the Kiwis are so fit, well conditioned, that playing in the heat was probably more suited to them but it didn’t work out that way did it?”
Former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles was impressed by France’s all round effort.
“It’s a skillful team as well. The balance across the whole entire side – the scrum was dominant the entire game, the maul was dominant – they didn’t use their maul enough.”
Former All Blacks World Cup winner Sonny Bill Williams felt the team was off key.
“To win this tournament you need momentum, you need luck. You need to keep building. That’s what France have done,”Williams said.
“I think the All Blacks were a bit off skill set wise, and a little bit with discipline.”
For many shocked All Blacks fans the buck will stop with Foster, as Gregor Paul summed up in the NZ Herald..
“As All Blacks coach Ian Foster said before the game, World Cups bring a different pressure – one that France look superbly equipped to deal with, but one that may be just too intense for this All Blacks side to get to grips with.
“The loss will be met with an inevitable “quell horreur” response in New Zealand as it is after all the first time the All Blacks have beaten in pool play and is therefore another unwanted first achieved in the Foster era.
“And unless the All Blacks make drastic improvements in their mental game, this World Cup will be a long and X-rated horror show for them.”