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Ian Foster says the decision to stand down star winger Mark Telea for disciplinary reasons ahead of the All Blacks’ quarter-final against Ireland “speaks volumes for the team”.
The slippery winger, whose sensational year for the Blues had seen him become a constant presence on the wing in 2023 for the All Blacks, was left out of Foster’s side for Saturday’s knockout Test against the world No.1 nation.
It’s been widely reported that the prolific tryscorer, who scored a double on the opening night of the World Cup against France, breached a team curfew, leading to his axing.
“He breached the protocol. Nothing major but enough to keep him out of selection for this week. He has trained well, [it] happens,” Foster said on Thursday, as he made six changes to his side from the one that smashed Uruguay 73-0.
“It is what it is. For us, it’s pretty clean-cut. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. We have dealt with it as a team and moved on.”
Foster was asked several times to expand on what Telea did, but the experienced coach wouldn’t be drawn on the incident.
“I am not going to talk about it again. It’s minor,” he said.
He added: “I think it says volumes by, we believe what we stand for. I think that speaks volumes for the team when we make that sort of decision.”
Ian Foster says the decision to stand down tryscoring machine Mark Telea from the All Blacks’ quarter-final speaks volumes about the standards in the side. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
While Finlay Christie’s selection over the attacking threat of Cam Roigard on the bench surprised some, Foster has also revamped his front-row and been able to call on the fit Tyrel Lomax despite some earlier injury concerns.
Lomax will partner Ethan de Groot and Codie Taylor in the front-row, with Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell picked to come off the bench ahead of Ofa Tuʻungafasi and Nepo Laulala.
“Tough. We’ve got six props, three hookers that we’re probably happy to start them all,” Foster said.
“Everyone’s fit, healthy and we just feel it is the right mix.
“I think probably a little bit of mobility, agility defensively. We feel the scrum is going to be done well regardless of who goes in there, so we are confident in the scrum side of it. Just the areas we believe we need to challenge.”
Otherwise, it’s an experienced side with Sam Whitelock – the All Blacks’ most capped player – to come off the bench along with Damian McKenzie.
“He’s [McKenzie] playing well but [I] like the combinations we are getting,” Foster said.
“[I] like that we’ve got a change-up option as the game unfolds and I think the trio of Richie [Mo’unga], Beaudy [Barrett] and Damian is looking [agreeable] at the moment.”
Mark Telea scored a brace of tries against France on the opening night of the World Cup at the Stade de France on September 08, 2023 in Paris. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Foster attempted to subtly put the pressure on Ireland, who have yet to progress past the quarter-final of a World Cup.
“Look, Ireland came into the World Cup last year as the number one. The past is the past,” Foster said.
“I think it’s probably … an Irish team on a mission. And it’s an All Blacks team on a mission. I’ll leave it to you to talk about the past and what that means and the burdens that everyone carries.
“The key is to clear your head and just play.”
Four years ago the All Blacks smashed Ireland 46-14 to knock Joe Schmidt’s side out in the quarter-finals. Schmidt is now one of Foster’s assistants.
Having only once bowed out at the quarter-final, a controversial 20-18 loss in Cardiff in 2007, Foster said the All Blacks could take confidence out of overcoming adversity but added that the past meant nothing.
“It gives us confidence that we know what it’s about,” he said.
“In my time, 2015, we had to deal with the demons of Cardiff and France and people talking about 2007.
“In 2019 it was all about playing a red-hot Irish team who had beaten us the year before and [were] coming into the tournament number one, so there is a lot of synergies if you look at the past but what you have heard is that the real lesson is it doesn’t mean anything.
“We have been preparing really well over the last month, we’re ready to go and I’m sure they have too. It should be a great game.”
Captain Sam Cane added: “Going through tough times and good times as a team, you draw on that for sure. I don’t think there has been any chat amongst our team around underdogs or favourites or anything like that. We’re just aware we are playing the best team in the world at the minute in a quarter-final. We’re treating it as a final because the loser goes home.”
For perhaps the first time in a World Cup match the All Blacks aren’t starting as favourites.
Ian Foster attempted to land a psychological blow on Ireland by bringing up the nation’s burden of not progressing past a quarter-final. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Yet, the All Blacks, who were quick to talk up Ireland and their record, with Andy Farrell’s side on a 17 Test winning streak, which started by pulling off a come-from-behind 2-1 series win in New Zealand last year, said they weren’t paying any attention to who was favourites or not.
“As a player it is not a biggie for us, none of the boys are on the TAB or Bet365 hunting. So, that’s not a biggie,” playmaker Richie Mo’unga said.
“You can’t shy away from the fact how great this Ireland team is, what they’ve done the last couple of years. Defensively, they’re a really sound team and able to put teams in some pressure moments because of their set-piece and the way they play the game. And they’re the best team in the world right now.
“We don’t have to be the best team in the world now, we’ve got to be the best on the day and that’s Saturday.”
Mo’unga described his counterpart Johnny Sexton as a “true director of his team” and said it was vital the All Blacks stopped Ireland up front, so the playmaker couldn’t pull the strings.
“Yeah that’s a huge task. It starts upfront, ball carrying and momentum, winning the speed of the ruck, making that ball as quick as we can,” he said.
“We’ve got to play eyes-up footy but do the basics really well to challenge these guys. If we can do that, we can get inroads and hopefully get awarded some penalties around the ruck.”
New Zealand (1-15): Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax, Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett, Shannon Frizell, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Aaron Smith, Richie Mo’unga, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Will Jordan, Beauden Barrett.
Replacements: Dane Coles, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, Sam Whitelock, Dalton Papali’i, Finlay Christie, Damian McKenzie, Anton Leinert-Brown.
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.