Coach refuses to blame Ioane

WELLINGTON: All Blacks coach Ian Foster is bitterly disappointed with the drawn opening Bledisloe Cup test but he refused to blame the result on Rieko Ioane dropping the ball over the line or the decision not to take a dropped kick in the dramatic final stages.

The All Blacks took an 83 lead into halftime but it should have been at least five more after Ioane dropped the ball over the line while attempting to place it with one hand.

Foster, in his first test match in charge, was philosophical about the blunder.

‘‘It would have been useful. He's feeling really frustrated — that's one of those little lessons players have to go through,’’ Foster said of the Blues centre.

Foster said Richie Mo'unga had set up for the dropped goal at the death but the decision was made to chase the matchwinning try with the backs, rather than keep picking and going with the big men.

‘‘It was skill execution — we couldn't get the ball out to where it needed to be. That hurts, but it's another message to us all that test rugby is back and if you're not good enough in those big moments you don't get the result.’’ — The New Zealand Herald