New Zealand embrace Ian Foster’s message that Saturday’s meeting with Ireland is their ‘final’

The All Blacks may have lost some of their aura over the last four years especially but, encountering them yesterday, there’s no doubt that much of the mystique remains. Simply due to the colour of their jerseys as well as their fabled history, it always will.

A lengthy trek by metro, RER and a walk through some of the Bois de Vincennes, the largest park in Paris, would find the All Blacks on the eastern outskirts of the city in the suitably impressive INSEP (National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance).

Since their 46-14 win over Ireland in the quarter-finals in Tokyo four years ago, the All Blacks have won 28, drawn two and lost 10 games – their highest in any World Cup cycle – for a win-loss ratio of 73.7 per cent. This includes three losses in four Tests against Ireland.

Between the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cup, New Zealand won 39, drew two and lost six out of 47 Tests, which equated to an 86.3 per cent win-loss ratio. Going back to the 2011-15 cycle, which ended with them retaining their crown by again winning all seven matches, the All Blacks played 47 Tests and had a 42-2-3 record, and a win-loss ratio of 93.3 per cent.

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Coming on the heels of their 35-7 defeat to the Springboks in Twickenham and their 27-13 loss to France on opening night, the All Blacks have regrouped in Lyon and, buoyed by three handsome wins over Namibia, Italy and Uruguay, have scored the most tries in the pool stages by some distance, 38. They have some of their old swagger back.

On another hot sunny day, with temperatures reaching 27/28 degrees, vision access to a large media gathering was permitted for the end of their session on a pitch which by all accounts is superior to that used by Ireland further north in Paris.

Injured tighthead Tyrel Lomax was doing some one-on-one strength exercises although opinions differ as to whether he will be fit for Saturday’s intriguing quarter-final against Ireland in the Stade de France.

Forwards coach Jason Ryan maintained: “He’s trained really well today, got through what he needed to and definitely he’ll be considered for selection.”

Co-opting Ryan onto the coaching ticket immediately after Ireland’s series win, and the emergence of Ethan de Groot and Lomax, has upgraded both the All Blacks’ lineout and scrum, while Joe Schmidt has had much more of an influential role since being added as an adviser at the start of that series when Ian Foster tested positive for Covid.

Aaron Smith, Reike Ioane and Ryan were all very much on point in reasserting Foster’s message that Saturday’s game is their ‘final’, while suddenly declining to agree with Beauden Barrett’s expressed desire for “revenge” a week ago, and for the most part playing down a report suggesting increased animosity between the two sides.

A piece in the New Zealand Herald by a reporter widely regarded as having a close relationship with Foster, and before him Steve Hansen, asserted that “there isn’t a lot of love for the Irish” within the All Blacks, who hadn’t forgotten “things said and acts committed” in last year’s series.

Peter O’Mahony’s sledging of Sam Cane and Andrew Porter’s high hit which left Brodie Retallick with a broken jaw were recalled, with claims that Ireland have “become increasingly ungracious” and “entitled” ala Will Carling’s England side.

Asked to describe the sides’ rivalry, Smith said: “My whole All Black career, we have had very tough encounters against Ireland. They were who I debuted against, so it’s very fond memories for me,” the scrumhalf said in reference to their 42-10 win over Ireland at Eden Park in June 2012.

“And yeah, ups and downs, wins and losses, but they are a great team. They are the best team in the world, and we are just really excited about the challenge coming up.”

However, when asked would there be beers between the players post-match, Smith said: “I think there is a mutual respect there, for sure. Jersey changes and obviously there is a lot of experience in both groups, guys who have played each other a lot, so I’d say there would be a little bit of mingling.

“But I think everyone knows the stakes of what’s riding on this game. I know in 2019, there was quite good camaraderie afterwards, connecting, so I wouldn’t call it a hatred or anything like that,” said Smith, although it seemed pointed that he didn’t refer to last year.

“There is a definite mutual respect. Two proud nations, so I’d say there would be respect there, but happiness and pain for how the result goes.”

A defeat on Saturday would statistically make them the worst All Blacks team at a World Cup, and they were asked if this fear would be a motivation.

“Are we scared of failure? No,” said Ryan. “But do we embrace the legacy and what we want to achieve? Yes. And we get excited by that. We walk towards that.”

“We aren’t ever scared to lose,” agreed Ioane, maintaining their self-belief was unwavering. “For myself, the fear of losing doesn’t ever cross my mind. The motivation of this group and the energy we get off each other is motivation enough. We don’t like to take a glass-half-empty view on things.”

Smith spoke of the opportunity.

“If you are held down by the weight of the past then you won’t be able to do anything, you won’t be able to play well, you will be too scared to do anything, to try things, to trust your instincts,” he said, adding that they would be free and energised.

“I don’t think there is the burden of statistics or weight on us like that. It is a final of a World Cup for us and we are ready to go.”