All Blacks coach Ian Foster, coming off one of the worst years the team has had in the professional era, says he’s picked a squad that can win both the Rugby Championship and the World Cup, and is challenging a refreshed group to do both.
In fact Foster, clearly giddy after announcing a squad of 36 for the championship that included five uncapped players, and one bolter for the ages, says he “craves big games” for a group that has a long way to go to reach the level that will be required in France later this year.
On Sunday night at his home club in Te Awamutu, Foster announced a squad that included a refreshing wave of Super Rugby Pacific form men (the uncapped Tamaiti Williams, bolter extraordinaire Dallas McLeod, Cam Roigard, Samipeni Finau and Emoni Narawa were the new faces) and appeared to cover the absence of 10 experienced figures unavailable through injury pretty well. He also confirmed veteran lock Sam Whitelock was likely to miss Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific final while he gets his Achilles right, and that form Blues wing Mark Telea (replaced temporarily by the dreadfully unlucky Shaun Stevenson who missed initial selection) was likely out a month with a knee issue.
Foster was decidedly bullish as he spoke to media to reflect on his selections, clearly not letting a 2022 campaign in which the All Blacks suffered four defeats and a draw, lost a home series to Ireland, a first ever test on Kiwi soil to Argentina and come ridiculously close to getting tipped over by a sub-par Wallabies outfit in Melbourne dim his optimism.
Asked how he would balance Rugby Championship ambitions with preparations for the World Cup, Foster came out with the sort of aggression Brendon McCullum might blush at.
“We want to do both,” he said. “I think since 2011 we haven’t won the Rugby Championship in World Cup year. They’ve been the only years I haven’t won it since I’ve been involved. If you look at where this team is at, there have been a lot of things happening. Last year we had a bit of adversity, we got tight, and we’re actually craving as many big games as we can get at the moment.
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Ian Foster says Chiefs flyer Emoni Narawa deserves his spot after a standout Super Rugby campaign.
“We want to go in fully loaded to this Rugby Championship. I think it’s important for us to get back up to speed really quickly, and get our game right. The work that Jason [Ryan] and Feeky (Greg Feek) are doing in our forwards, we need to re-establish that level very quickly, and on the attack and defence side we want to set the level we want to go into. The World Cup day one is pretty big and we want to be ready.”
So, can these All Blacks win a fourth World Cup?
“Absolutely,” replied the coach. “The good thing is not too many other people think we can. That’s a slightly unusual space to be in as All Blacks. It doesn’t change our belief. But belief is only one thing: you’ve got to put it to work. We’ve got a job to do, and can’t wait to start.”
Foster also believes he has the requisite blend of experience and form to compete at the very pointy end of the international game, even while the likes of Ethan Blackadder, David Havili, George Bower, Patrick Tuipulotu and Quinn Tupaea, among others, recover from injury.
“History says you have to go into a World Cup with a lot of experience, and we’ve got that. But it also says you don’t want to go in stale and with a formula that other people know. The good thing is we haven’t gone out looking to bring in a whole lot of new players – they’ve banged on the door.”
Foster confirmed he would gather the 17 players not involved in the Super Rugby Pacific final in the Mount on Wednesday for a three-day camp, and would then bring the full squad in after the championship decider. “Every day is going to be vital for us,” he declared.
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Cam Roigard of the Hurricanes has squeezed into the All Blacks with a strong campaign for the Canes.
He also explained Stevenson’s initial omission, and the preference for Narawa, who hasn’t matched his fullback’s consistency or try-scoring feats for the Chiefs.
“Certainly on the attack side he’s proven to be outstanding,” Foster said of Stevenson who will remain with the squad until Telea is fit. “We’ve seen a massive improvement in defensive structural stuff and also the tackle and contact work, but we still want to see more in that space. He’s probably with us for the first two tests, so it’s a great opportunity to get a good read on that.”
On Narawa: “He’s got a good kicking game, his wide ruck contact work is outstanding, his acceleration into contact, he’s got no fear in that space, and he’s banging the door down with the way he’s played. The key thing with new players is how they adapt to All Blacks intensity … he’s got a lot of belief, and I’m sure he’ll do well.”
Foster said they’d been watching McLeod since his under-20s days and he’d impressed on many levels in this Crusaders campaign. “He’s big, rawboned, quick, and has an outstanding attitude to get involved. He doesn’t hold back, he backs himself, and he’s a great kick-chase person on the wing. We see him primarily as a 12 but he’s shown that versatility through necessity. We’ve got some 12s out injured and this is a great chance to build some depth in that position.”
Foster also said Roigard deserved his spot in a tight four-into-three halfbacks call that saw Brad Weber squeezed out. “He brings a slightly unique skillset with his left-foot kicking game, plus he’s shown excitement about how he runs round the edges and keeps things going on that side. He’s played really well and deserves this opportunity.”
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