‘Crusaders’ win may not save Foster
The bad news was that the All Blacks trailed by a point having led by 15 earlier in the match. The worse news was that they were down to 14 men with 12 minutes to play. And now for the good news. Eight of those 14 men were Crusaders.
Last week I wrote how ironic it would be if coach Ian Foster turned to the Crusaders as his saviours. During his tenure he has consistently omitted them from leadership positions. So seven days ago I asked: what if the Crusaders became Foster’s only way out?
Only one problem – that door should already be closed. It would be insane of the New Zealand Rugby board if it lets Foster off the hook on the basis of 12 minutes of guts and brilliance by Scott Robertson’s men. This wasn’t Foster’s victory. This was a victory built in Crusaderland.
There seemed a symbolism to it.
Beauden Barrett, who had come on as a sub, had been given a yellow card which forced Foster to substitute his captain Sam Cane. So the two men who had been in charge of the good ship New Zealand under Foster’s stewardship were in dry dock.
The people who had to steer the ship off the rocks were the likes of Will Jordan, who is not good enough for fullback in Foster’s eyes, and Richie Mo’unga, who had been ludicrously dumped for taking paternity leave, and Sam Whitelock, the guy who didn’t get the captaincy.
The comeback started with Jordan leaping to take a South African box kick and initiating a counter with a quick tap from the mark. Then Mo’unga got just far enough to the outside of the Springboks halfback Jaden Hendrickse to pull in Lukhanyo Amoff his wing. The perfectly timed pass put the excellent Rieko Ioane away, of whom more later.
Having got into the Springboks 22, the All Blacks went through some stuttery phases until Scott Barrett, with that phenomenal engine of his, crashed over the gain line. That created the impetus for David Havili to reach over for the crucial try. Made and finished in Crusader land.
The final try had a similar stamp. South Africa had tried to counter off a long Mo’unga clearance. But when Mo’unga hauled down Makazole Mapimpi, Whitelock was there to win the turnover. He is a remarkable player, Whitelock. Just when you think that he is finished, he scales a new peak. It was his second massive turnover of the match and the first had also led to a try.
From this one the All Blacks moved it down the line to Jordie Barrett, who put an astute kick into the corner where Codie Taylor bundled Willie Le Roux into touch. The All Blacks reinforced their forwards stocks as they got back to 15 men and came at South Africa in waves before Scott Barrett finished them off. Again, made and finished in Crusader land.
But a quick postscript to that. When Beauden finished his bin time, instead of just sending on a forward for the attacking lineout which was perfectly sensible, Foster also hooked Rieko Ioane so that Barrett could come back on.
Ioane looked furious and rightly so. He had been brilliant. He was a huge part of the comeback with 14 men and now he was being dumped. It was ludicrously insensitive of Foster and looked like he was still playing favourites.
You would like to think that Ioane would have been respected for making one of the great try saving tackles in test match history. It came in the first half when Mo’unga had been intercepted by PieterSteph du Toit. Jordie Barrett just reached the big South Africa seven before the line, but what happened next was astonishing.
Du Toit had been able to get the ball away to Amwho was going to score for all money. But somehow, Ioane got to Amand tackled him just short. Mo’unga then slid in to stop him placing the ball over the line. And when Eben Etzebeth arrived to go over, the entire remainder of the All Blacks backline combined to hold him up. Let us salute the togetherness in that.
These are sliding doors moments in a test match. South Africa should have scored then and they should have scored around the 20 minute mark from an attacking lineout, but their third-choice hooker, who had oddly started the match, threw the ball in crookedly.
The All Blacks had been let off the hook, although there was much to like about a hugely improved performance. Mo’unga had spoken the previous week, after he had come on, of needing just a bit more depth to the attack. The playmaker added that depth and what a difference it made.
But you have to ask, why after two-and-a-half years has it taken Mo’unga to bring in the obvious. France have been playing with his depth for years as a way to counter the rush. Australia did it quite a bit last year off Quade Cooper. So what have New Zealand been doing and thinking?
These are the sort of questions that should necessitate a change
of coach. I understand that Foster’s current anger also extends to Brad Mooar and John Plumtree who he feels let him down and didn’t put in the hard yards. But these were his appointments. He has to take the responsibility.
Another notable improvement in the All Blacks play was that the forwards were much lower into contact. Presumably that was driven by Jason Ryan as were the support of the ball carrier with a drive on the shoulder or an immediate clean-out. But again surely these are rugby fundamentals that should have happened months ago.
Another fundamental of All Blacks rugby is a hard-boned ballcarrying No 6. Where has he been? Bryan Habana said at halftime: ‘‘We have been found wanting physically. Shannon Frizell has made an incredible impact.’’
So he did, just like Samisoni Taukei’aho who wasn’t deemed good enough for the squad for the third test against Ireland. Nor was Ethan de Groot considered good enough for Foster’s initial squad of this test season.
None of this is hindsight. So 10 minutes of cussed Crusaders’ brilliance – with a dash of seasoning from Ardie Savea, Rieko and Jordie – cannot be considered good enough to prolong Foster’s tenure. That would be bonkers. All the mistakes have been laid bare, even in this heroic victory.
Moreover, it would be a fine way for a decent man to bow out. But now, more than ever, is the time to move on.
This country knows its rugby. And New Zealand wants a new coach.
It would be a fine way for a decent man to bow out. But now, more than ever, is the time to move on.