Ian Foster speaks during the opening ceremony for the New Zealand team at the Rugby World Cup 2023 in France. Photo / Photosport
Ian Foster speaks during the opening ceremony for the New Zealand team at the Rugby World Cup 2023 in France. Photo / Photosport
By Liam Napier in Lyon
Ian Foster is not about to break into song anytime soon. The All Blacks coach did, however, channel his inner Frank Sinatra to outline his version of my way.
Foster is no conformist. Whether it’s selection or tactics, he’s always been unwavering in his beliefs,never one to be swayed by public or populist opinion no matter the stakes.
The All Blacks’ treacherous, seemingly forever undulating, four-year path to the World Cup quarter-finals contains many roadblocks, casualties and recoveries.
Now the All Blacks are here, awaiting confirmation of Ireland or South Africa’s presence in their Paris quarter-final next week, Foster is determined to prove they can blend beauty with the beast.
“Our mind is not to go out there and be the team that paves the way and plays the beautiful game,” Foster said as the All Blacks savoured two days to recharge before their quarter-final opponent is confirmed this weekend.
“We want to play our game. We’ve got to make sure we get a winning performance but we also do it our way.”
Leicester Fainga'anuku runs in for a try. Photo / Photosport
Breathless freedom is behind the All Blacks at this World Cup. Achieve the necessary forward grunt, though, and they are resolute they can contrast other contenders by maintaining attacking expression that could set them apart.
A World Cup quarter-final against Ireland or South Africa promises to be vastly removed from the All Blacks’ final three pool matches where they scored 36 tries in blowout victories.
Time and space are about to significantly shrink against suffocating defences. Mistakes will be magnified. Mental resolve will be tested under consuming knockout pressure.
Next week the All Blacks must find a way through frustrations. Their breakdown and set piece will be challenged to force them to adapt and adjust on the run. They won’t get the same opportunity to feast on turnover possession and switch into lethal counterattack.
Striking the balance between run, kick, pass – and doing so with accuracy – will be imperative.
While those realities are undeniable, Foster is imploring his men to stay true to their intrinsic skills; to not constrict, not hesitate and persevere with their desire to play with pace and instinctive vision.
Foster caused a stir earlier in the World Cup when he compared Ireland’s tight, tense, combative pool victory over the Springboks with the All Blacks’ free-wheeling rout of Italy and said the world had to determine which style they preferred.
After setting that scene, Foster wants the All Blacks to impose their up-tempo style on Ireland or South Africa rather than letting them dictate a dogfight.
Sam Cane returned to the starting side to face Uruguay in the All Blacks' final pool game. Photo / Photosport
“Not going in with that preordained concept is key. Not all playoff rugby is like that. Some teams want to make it like that,” Foster said.
“If they’re good enough to put you into that position then you have to adapt but we don’t want to shut down our DNA and how we go about things just because that’s what people say it’s likely to be.
“Every team at this stage of the tournament takes a lot of pride in how they play. They’ve got their own recipe. This stage is only about winning. If you try to tighten up and change too much then some of the instincts go out of your players and you try to do something that’s not our natural habit.”
As points of reference for evidence, quarter-finals aren’t solely won through pragmatism, Foster cast back to the 2015 World Cup when he was assistant coach and the All Blacks extracted revenge by putting nine tries on France in their near flawless 62-15 victory. Four years later in Yokohama, the All Blacks sent Ireland home with a 46-14 win that featured seven tries.
“The last two quarter-finals I’ve had were the complete opposite of tight. We’ve got to get excited about playing the game we want to and if we’re forced to adapt then we’ve got to be good enough to do that. History shows that’s where the gold is. If you can’t get your game going, how do you adapt to the one you’re allowed to play and rebuild momentum so you get back to doing what you want to do.
“We’ve been through a lot of this sort of rugby before. We know. And we know what we’ve got to get right. That doesn’t make it easier when it comes to the quarter-final but it does mean at least we’re going to be prepared.”
The lightweight calibre of opposition – Namibia, Italy, Uruguay – and breadth of freedom the All Blacks have savoured to unleash attacking weapons Will Jordan, Damian McKenzie and Leicester Fainga’anuku since their tournament-opening defeat to France has bred a pretence that their forwards do not possess the ability to lay the platform against the world’s elite packs.
For all the All Blacks’ flashy finishing, Scott Barrett offered an insight into the mindset of their pack.
“The set piece and breakdown are two huge areas that will probably decide the World Cup and a quarter-final,” Barrett said. “Those two areas, along with defence, are critical to our game.”
Many of this All Blacks squad, from the senior players to the wider management, have been here before. They know the knockouts are different. They know their freedom and flow won’t be the same.
Whoever they confront, though, the All Blacks will do or die their way.
“You can call it a quarter-final but, really, it’s the final isn’t it,” Foster said. “It’s winner takes all on this weekend so that’s our mindset. We’ve learnt you’ve got to treat every week like that.”
