NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport

Ian Foster: 8 yellow cards in 2017 prove refs aren't soft on All Blacks

Patrick McKendry
By Patrick McKendry
Reporter·NZ Herald·
12 Jun, 2018 04:15 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

French Flanker Bernard Le Roux​ touches on the controversial decision against the All Blacks at Eden Park.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster has countered claims that match officials are soft on his team by saying they were the one of the most heavily punished international sides last year.

The All Blacks received nine cards – a red and eight yellows – in 14 tests in 2017, so while Ofa Tuungafasi and Sam Cane avoided sanctions for the tackle which left Remy Grosso with a fractured skull in the recent test at Eden Park, it is not necessarily the continuation of the trend than some believe it is.

Of those 14 tests, the All Blacks lost two and drew one; the first defeat came against the British & Irish Lions in Wellington after Sonny Bill Williams was red-carded for a high tackle, and the draw was against the Lions in the third test at Eden Park after Jerome Kaino was sinbinned, also for a high tackle.

No All Blacks were carded in the other defeat in the third Bledisloe Cup test against Australia in Brisbane.

The All Blacks also lost two players to the sinbin twice in two tests (Argentina in Buenos Aires and Scotland in Edinburgh) and won them, but being at a numerical disadvantage is clearly not ideal and in the wake of the first test against France won 52-11 by his team, Foster said his side worked tirelessly on getting their tackle heights right.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"You have to ask the referees that but clearly we don't think we get any favours from the referees at all," he said. "They've got a tough job and I don't know a top referee that doesn't go out there just ref it the way he sees it.

"If you look at the penalty counts and yellow cards last year – weren't we one of the top yellow-carded teams last year? I'm not sure how this 'soft on us' comes into fruition."

Foster added: "It's hurt us, yellow cards. We're like other teams, we don't like going down to 14. It's something we work hard to make sure technically we're as sound as possible.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Our players are like others – sometimes bad technique takes over.

New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen, left, with Ian Foster. Photo / Getty Images.
New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen, left, with Ian Foster. Photo / Getty Images.

"Our expectation is if we go high we're really susceptible to the punishment that everyone else gets. I think we've been pretty open and honest with how we interpreted last week."

For whatever reason, former international referees seem eager to stick the boot into the All Blacks and Rob Debney, writing in The Times, is the latest, saying ref Luke Pearce should have sent off Tuungafasi for his collision with Grosso. In reality, Tuungafasi's accidental hit didn't meet a red card criteria by Pearce or the citing commissioner, and the same goes for Cane.

Foster said he acknowledged referees had difficult jobs in a dynamic and high-impact environment, but added: "They've also got to apply a sense of wisdom to the game … that's what they're paid to do and they largely do a good job of it."

Discover more

Sport|rugby

Heads, we all lose: High tackles a horrible look for rugby

11 Jun 02:31 AM
Sport|rugby

England slide to worst ranking in two years

11 Jun 05:27 PM
All Blacks

Former top referee: All Blacks 'always seem to get away with murder'

11 Jun 06:43 PM
Sport|rugby

Brad Shields' parents defend his switch

12 Jun 02:27 AM

The increase in the offloading abilities by top players meant the tackle height was creeping up, something World Rugby have attempted to correct by trialling "no higher than the nipple line" tackling at the current under-20s World Cup in France.

"I think we all agree it has to come down a bit," Foster said.

The controversy has probably overshadowed how competitive France were in the first half at Eden Park, where they had an 11-8 halftime lead, and the All Blacks are eager to start far better at Westpac Stadium.

"We need to make sure we impose ourselves a little bit earlier in the game," Foster said. "The French defended well for that first 50 minutes and were making it quite tough for us, so there's still plenty for us to nail down.

"If they put the scoreline to one side and just focus on performance I'm assuming that they'll be fairly happy with large parts of that game."

To get the day's top sports stories in your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Sport

'A nice marlin': Kiwi skipper makes history with $2m fishing triumph

06 Jul 07:33 AM
All Blacks

'They all stepped up': Robertson celebrates debutants but All Blacks eye fixes

06 Jul 03:00 AM
Warriors

Warriors outclassed by Roosters in NRLW return

06 Jul 02:30 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

'A nice marlin': Kiwi skipper makes history with $2m fishing triumph

'A nice marlin': Kiwi skipper makes history with $2m fishing triumph

06 Jul 07:33 AM

Tom Francis' team caught a 312.6kg marlin, beating 160 global entrants.

'They all stepped up': Robertson celebrates debutants but All Blacks eye fixes

'They all stepped up': Robertson celebrates debutants but All Blacks eye fixes

06 Jul 03:00 AM
Warriors outclassed by Roosters in NRLW return

Warriors outclassed by Roosters in NRLW return

06 Jul 02:30 AM
Premium
Gregor Paul: Progress or stalling? All Blacks' key challenge in new season

Gregor Paul: Progress or stalling? All Blacks' key challenge in new season

06 Jul 12:00 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP