High, lows and lessons for ABs
Post-season reviews shouldn’t be a fun experience for an All Blacks’ head coach. Not if he fronts with a modest 50 per cent success rate. Ian Foster knows about this.
Reviews provide NZ Rugby board members and CEO with an opportunity to squeeze coaches with probing questions, and to keep hammering away if they don’t get the feedback they feel they deserve. If that makes a coach squirm, so be it.
All Blacks coach Foster, having assisted his predecessor Steve Hansen for eight years, should know what to expect when he provides the board and CEO Mark Robinson with a detailed breakdown of the 2020 season.
For this has not been a vintage year for Foster, albeit under very trying circumstances because of Covid-19. Three wins from six tests for the All Blacks isn’t good enough.
The warning shots ahead of the 2021 season have been sent.
Foster is contracted until late 2021. His plan is to get an extension through to the 2023 World Cup in France. It’s a work in progress.
1 What were the highlights of Foster’s first year as coach?
Thrashing the Wallabies by a record score of 43-5 in Sydney was the most memorable effort.
The big win over Argentina in Newcastle last weekend was sweet revenge for the 25-15 defeat; the All Blacks’ forwards won back some respect, and it’s highly likely the victory has secured the Tri-Nations crown. A good way to end the year. 2 And the lows?
The draw with the Aussies in Wellington was a miserable way to begin a new tenure. The loss to them in Brisbane was worse.
But neither can compare to the shocker in Sydney against the Pumas, a first-ever loss to a team that hadn’t played since last year’s World Cup in Japan. Not acceptable.
3 Is Sam Cane the right man to lead the All Blacks?
Yes. Captain Cane ran himself into the dust in every game.
Cane, it’s understood, had called for a drop goal to be taken in the final crazy seconds of the draw to the Wallabies in Wellington. It never came.
Not changing the game plan in the infamous loss to the Pumas was also costly. There’s room for improvement. The captain might have plenty of lieutenants, but it’s his ship.
4 Was there value in taking such a large squad to Australia?
There had better have been. A number of players got minimal minutes, or in the case of Du’Plessis Kirifi none at all, but it gave Foster the chance to assess his cattle ahead of next year.
Lock Tupou Vaa’i and prop Alex Hodgman made encouraging starts to their test careers, providing depth ahead of the next World Cup.
It was a shame not to see more of back rower Cullen Grace.
5 Who will be the best recruit for 2021?
Start with lock Brodie Retallick, after he’s finished playing for the Kobelco Steelers club in Japan.
The great Retallick, for so many reasons, was missed this year. The plus side of his absence was it forced Foster to blood Vaa’i when it became apparent Scott Barrett wouldn’t be fit for the earlier tests.
6 Beauden Barrett and TJ Perenara will also play for Japanese clubs next year. What impact will that have on the All Blacks?
Skipping Super Rugby Aotearoa won’t be a bad thing. While that rugged tournament is grinding up and spitting out its participants, Barrett and Perenara will be (hopefully) staying intact.
7 Has Foster got his back row combination right?
He did for the final test. Akira Ioane could be a very good No 6. Consistency is key. Giving Hoskins Sotutu more opportunities at No 8 in 2021 may add more power and size to the mix.
8 Is the dual playmaker system working?
It’s OK but not convincing. Richie Mo’unga could flourish if given sole responsibility to do everything at No 10, leaving Beauden Barrett to remain stationed out the back where he adds extra value returning the ball from broken play.
Mo’unga does a good job of being the sole playmaker at the Crusaders, after all.
9 Rieko Ioane: centre or wing?
There’s potential to be a major weapon at No 13, but he’s not ready yet. Ioane’s power, size and speed off the bench, either at wing or centre, suits best right now.
10 Next year, pandemic permitting, the All Blacks should play world champions Springboks and several northern hemisphere teams. How will they fare?
It depends which All Blacks’ team turns up. A top XV, with the right attitude, would give anyone a run for their money. But we also witnessed some frailties.
It caused consternation. And, quite rightly, so. The All Blacks were fortunate the Springboks were unavailable in 2020.