If All Blacks coach Ian Foster wins the Rugby World Cup 2023 will all be forgiven?
In my previous article summing up Foster’s All Blacks coaching career, some said “no”. I tend to disagree, if he and his coaching team are successful, previous losses will be forgotten and he will always be remembered as the coach who piloted the All Blacks to World Cup victory.
Such an outcome will probably lessen the importance of Test matches in between Rugby World Cups even more and they will serve as building blocks towards the four-year Holy Grail. Is that wrong? There has been talk about a World Championship similar to Test cricket taking place which I believe is good in theory.
But back to the All Blacks, I watched footage of the 2015 RWC matches which has reignited a desire to see the All Blacks go all the way and win this year’s event, yes I have been a critic of the team but it is this criticism which elevates standards to an elite level.
Has much changed since the losses to South Africa and France and have the recent annihilations of Italy and Uruguay clouded the picture even further? The style of victories has been pleasing with Ian Foster asking the question which version of rugby would we prefer to watch, All Black or South African?
Running rugby will always appeal to new fans in the international version and it is those fans who will cement the sustainability of rugby union. Dare I believe the All Blacks will play this style against their quarter-final opponents Ireland?
I did ask the question recently, have the All Blacks been foxing a little with their ability to flick the switch to a fast-paced game when absolutely necessary, the stuff that dreams are made of, we will know on 14th October!
Ian Foster. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
For the sake of rugby I sincerely hope that a 15 man blitzing of Ireland occurs! Or will the All Blacks revert to the meek style first sighted in the previous RWC against England? Time will tell.
My wish for Cam Roigard to promote himself to the big stage appears to be happening and the same could be said for Damian McKenzie. Players including Shannon Frizell, with Ethan Blackadder off the bench, who are not intimidated by the reputations of their opposition will be vital to the All Blacks progressing.
Controlled aggression will win more matches than lose. I was going to mention the Battle of Nantes in 1986 between France and the All Blacks as an example but that may be a little extreme! Speaking of the French, I wrote this back in August:
“Quarter finals start on the 14th of October and I anticipate Australia v Argentina in QF1, Ireland v France in QF2, England v Wales in QF3, NZ v South Africa in QF4. Of course, this is just guesswork as anything could happen, Wales could win Pool C, South Africa could win Pool B, Argentina could pip England and France could/will win Pool A.
If it all went to plan though, Australia should beat Argentina to reach the semi-final against France, England to beat Wales to meet NZ in the semi.
France to defeat Australia and NZ to conquer England to meet France in the final.
The dream final, don’t you think? I wonder who the French citizens are hoping for?”
The end result is still possible for the All Blacks to meet France in the final but the means has changed dramatically with the demise of Australia being the biggest talking point. Now it will be Wales v Argentina, Ireland v NZ, England v Fiji and France v South Africa in the quarter-finals.
My earlier tournament prediction for an All Blacks exit at the quarter-finals is also still active but a glimmer of hope has been lit with recent victories. Will the All Blacks’ knowledge and experience of past World Cup victories as opposed to Ireland’s nil balance play a part in their match? The pressure will be enormous on Ireland to break their traditional failings.
There are so many predictions and permutations that it is wiser to not make any at all, but expressing one’s opinion on sports results is a core component of being a fan and a writer.
Will Ian Foster take the All Blacks to victory and will it erase past failings? Has it been a coaching masterstroke to lull the rugby world into believing the “aura” around the All Blacks has diminished, lulling the opposition into a false sense of security?
I jest, but do dream of an All Blacks team marching to glory playing an enterprising brand of attacking rugby. Ireland are looking good and it will take an exceptional All Blacks performance to beat them.
Gkl
Roar Rookie
Fozzie the sly fox. Last 12 months pre RWC has been playing the covert long game with AB’s. He will showcase his game plan brilliance against Ireland and answer all his critics in one high octane display that will blow the men in green away.
Boatperson
Roar Rookie
Well said mz. I'm not a believer that there is a "right way" of playing Rugby. I thought Foster missed an opportunity re - the Springbok/Ireland game. My view is that Rugby offers teams the ability to play to their strengths. So on one hand you get a compelling, competitive, hard game like SB v Ire and equally you can get high scoring, open games of the type Fos is trying to deliver with the ABs. Great teams can play a range of styles. The Laws of rugby merely state that "The game’s objective is to score as many points as possible against an opposing team by carrying, passing, kicking and grounding the ball, according to the laws of the game, its sporting spirit and fair play." It doesn't say that "my style is better than yours."
Jacko
Roar Rookie
So I gather you would rather win more during the 4 years between cups but not win the cup? Ill take the cup thanks and Foster will forever be a WC winning coach no matter what happens in between. Look at SA. Cant win a RC ever but win world cups. They arnt looked apon as weak are they? I dont look at them that way thats for sure.
Andrew
Roar Rookie
I hope you are right Jacko :)
Lux Interior
Roar Rookie
Your first paragraph describes what I’m seeing too, WPN. The All Blacks are now firmly in the group of cruiserweight challengers to the undisputed no.1 heavyweight team. Currently 17 in a row against all-comers, winning home and away and look at the manner in which the Irish handled their pool. All that has them in a far better space to progress to a first ever semifinal. All Blacks, not so much. If Fiji don’t beat England, the AB beating Ireland will be the upset of the quarters.
WEST
Roar Guru
Foster will have Aaron smith starting, hopefully Roigard on the bench and not Christie. There was a period that Barrett & Reiko worked really well together manipulating defence, started when they played together at the Blues, they definitely need to start running these manoeuvres again, also getting Telea involved running different angles. Taukeiaho has lost a bit of his mojo lately, not sure why? Maybe Coles will bring his bit of mongrel to put the Irish slightly off their game. Getting points early is important, points pressure on the Irish might give them those niggling doubts to creep in.. Not again ideas will put a lot of extra pressure on. And keep the drunken Irish crowd quiet from singing that zombie song too. Our forwards need to grow a pair and do the hard yards, have to match them and some. We won’t get anywhere if our pack isn’t getting over the advantage line.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Nah Peter, may it stay in the SH, as if we don't,IMO the Bokke will do the job, especially with a former RWC assisting & the way they built their squad heading to this tournament. TBH most know, should they get into the final, they'll be very hard to beat, as they are the only team in world rugby, to have never been beaten in a final, of the RWC.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Card free would be great mzili, but we have Barnes adjudicating. Yes he's a far better ref now, but he still has that record with the AB's, as in, having the AB's been beaten more times than any other international referee under his adjudicating.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Name a team in the world that doesn’t have a subset of arrogant fans when they are ranked No.1? It certainly won’t be NZ!
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Better would be ' Firstly Fozz' considering the all time record first's he's achieved with the AB's.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
So they beat the Saders twice this year, aye Jacko!! What happened in the final where it counts? Did their wheels fall off, apart from DMac running across field, virtually pushing his outsides into touch?? Geeeez Bro, so love your Waikato attitude!!
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Agree BF, but what worries me, is that Blackadder just hasn't had enough game time.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Very interesting read Peter, but now, it's crunch time! Yes against a lesser opponent the AB's did look good, but now it's different, they really need to rise to the occasion, or no doubt the excrement will hit the fan, mainly with their fans. Yes we can be one eyed, & expect the AB's to win every time they step out in the Silver Fern, but recently ever since Shag left, we have experienced quite a number of first for the wrong reasons. Even this current RWC tournament, that trend continued, being the first loss ever in a pool game. So in truth I won't hold my breath. I'd love this current coaching staff to prove me wrong, by taking out the event, but with some very good players not being selected, players playing out of position, & the current head coach continuing on with his favoured players, as the list goes on. What IMO, wasn't Ethan Blackadder at least given game time, even off the bench, when he first stepped off the plane, to fulfil his call up, & then give him game time, off the bench ( 27mins ) in the AB's last game? He's another workhorse, & really the time he's had on the field hasn't helped him. Liecester Fainga'anuku must certainly start this weekend, as he will be against the Irish Aussie born winger, that IMO he won't find to hard in containing. So fingers crossed lets hope Foster gets it right, before he's shown the door.
Khun Phil
Roar Rookie
Yes,Diesel,that's what I was alluding to in my "flat track bully" comment.If the Wallabies can show up his shortcomings,what can Ireland do?
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Do you mean the one where Foster made 12 changes to the starting side? The one where they had Jordan at FB and no Ioane, No BB, no JB etc etc etc and you want to blame Dmac for that. Well go watch the game. He was fine. You wont tho because back in 2020 you judged him so thats it. Was that Bledisloe game similar to the world cup 1/4 final where Mounga lost us the world cup? Mounga gets made a mess of every week. Look at his stats for the tournament and the biggest stat he has is minutes played. Sad that in those mins he hasnt done anything.
Chucked
Roar Rookie
The Irish team have done nothing to deserve that Tag, fans have
Chucked
Roar Rookie
Id only want at best 3 of those players back
We Play Now
Roar Rookie
Totally agree with you WEST - the ruck is where this game will be won or lost. In the two losses to Ireland in 2022 this was where we were soundly beaten, and it gave their backs broken defensive lines to wreck havoc with. Ireland were patient against South Africa - took them a while to get that dominance, but they got there eventually. What do you think about starting Taukeiaho and Roigard? I think we need some points of difference from what we have done previously and wonder if they could be it. I know Smith is an amazing playing with a speedy pass, but Roigard provides an additional running threat that will keep Ireland honest around the fringes, and he doesn't shirk a tough tackle. Taukeiaho to give us just that little bit of extra go forward. And one more thing - Barrett and Rieko started the season by playing much closer together, but seem to have gone away from that. I want to see them go back to that - putting more doubt into the opposition minds, and less chance of Reek dying with the ball...
Diesel
Roar Rookie
Foxing - that’s what the Crusaders did to your Chiefs Jacko by losing in the pool rounds. Just remember Mackenzies last Bledisloe performance. We nearly and should have lost. His kicking in general play and game management was woeful. He plays great against 2nd tier nations. Ireland will make a mess of him that’s why he will never start.
Ehhh
Roar Rookie
Having the audacity to win, presumably. Usually I find it's rarely win = plucky or spirited, occasionally win = tenacious, consistently win = arrogant.