There were no hand grenades, not even a curveball or two, when Ian Foster unveiled his All Blacks team to face Ireland in Saturday’s quarter-final, just an understated but clear respect for this Irish team.
Although offered plenty of ammunition, Foster did not even attempt to play any mind games by highlighting Ireland’s previous failure to advance beyond the quarter-final stages in any of nine previous World Cups.
Admittedly, facing into his fifth Test as All Blacks head coach against Ireland, and having lost three of the previous four, Foster was also of a mind to play down history in general.
“I don’t think the past matters. You learn a lot from the past but you learn it at the time and it becomes part of who you are and it becomes part of us as a team. This team is ready, we’ve prepared well with this in mind.
“If you look at this year, the whole thing is about getting ready for a World Cup and making sure that we’re primed to perform at this stage of the tournament. We’re excited about it. We know the size of the challenge and how good Ireland are. They deserve all the plaudits they get but play-off rugby is about who’s best on the day.”
Even when asked specifically if the All Blacks could play on Ireland’s World Cup history at this stage of the tournament, Foster said: “Look, Ireland came into the World Cup last time as number one, didn’t they, so they’ve had different journeys. But like I said earlier, the past is the past. I think it’s probably a slightly newer...I wouldn’t say it’s a newer Irish team but it’s an Irish team on a mission. It’s an All Black team on a mission.
“I’ll leave it to you to talk about the past and what that means and the burdens people carry. But at the end of the day, we all carry burdens going into these sorts of game. The key thing is to clear your head and just play. That’s the state we want to be in.”
Given it is Ireland who have brought All Black-style form into this World Cup (winning 29 of their last 31 Tests), it perhaps also suits the mentality of Foster’s team to draw on a history of winning seven out of nine quarter-finals (including the 46-14 victory over Ireland four years ago) en route to lifting the trophy three times.
“It gives us confidence that we know what it’s about. I can remember in 2015 and we had to deal with the demons of France and Cardiff and talking about 2007. In 2019, it was all about playing a red-hot Irish team that had beaten us the year before and come into the tournament number one.”
“So, there are a lot of synergies if you look at the past but what we have learned is that the real lesson is that it doesn’t mean anything. The only thing it means is how you play on the night and like I said we’ve been preparing well for the last month, we’re ready to go and I’m sure they are too.
“So, it should be a great game.”
Foster admits there is an increased level of respect for Andy Farrell’s side on the back of their achievements over the last couple of seasons.
“Absolutely. I think there’s always been respect among teams in the international game. So this is not just something from the last 12 months, it’s something that’s been brewing for the last five or six years in Ireland. They’ve done a superb job and earned the position they’re in.
“Then when they get the upper hand on you a few times, naturally you respect them ‘cos it hurts. You’ve just got to take your hat off to their form, their run of wins. They’ve done well but we start the game at 0-0 and get stuck in. It should be a great game.”
Foster has made six changes to his New Zealand starting XV from their 73-0 victory against Uruguay, recalling Ethan de Groot, Scott Barrett, Ardie Savea, Aaron Smith, Rieko Ioane and Beauden Barrett to the starting team.
[ Ireland’s continuity and momentum give them favourites tag against New ZealandOpens in new window ]
There’s little doubt that they have been weakened by the loss of left winger Mark Telea, who has been omitted for an unspecified breach of protocol.
“Nothing major,” said Foster, “but enough to keep him out of selection for this week. I still love him. He trained well. It happens.
Asked if it was disappointing for it to happen in a week like this, Foster said: “Look it is what it is. For us it’s pretty clean-cut, I don’t really want to talk about it anymore. We’ve dealt with it as a team and moved on.”
Thereafter he and Sam Cane batted away any further inquiries about Telea’s omission and his breach of protocol. Telea, who had been in sensational form, has been replaced by Leicester Fainga’anuku, but more encouraging for the All Blacks is that tighthead Tyrel Lomax starts after picking up a knee injury against Uruguay.
As expected, loosehead de Groot also returns after a two-game ban and there’s little doubt that the duo’s emergence, along with Jason Ryan being co-opted from the Crusaders as forwards coach, has significantly improved the All Blacks’ ballast and scrum since the 2022 Series in New Zealand.
The All Blacks are fully aware, too, of the Green Army’s presence thus far, and captain Sam Cane was asked if part of their game plan was to quieten the Irish crowd.
“Yeah, well, part of the game plan is to start well,” said Cane, smiling, “and if we’re able to do that it should have a flow on effect in keeping the crowd a little bit quiet. Unfortunately, New Zealand is a little further away than Ireland, so they’re able to jump on a plane and get here and support their team a little bit easier.
“But I know there will be plenty of Kiwis there too. Yeah, look, obviously both teams will be looking to start well. It’s going to be a heck of a Test match so the start is going to be important and yeah, we’ve seen the crowd get in behind them already at this World Cup.
“But to be honest one of the great things about playing in big stadiums in massive games like this is the atmosphere and the energy that’s in the crowd, and we’ll be feeding off it either way.”
After a pause, Foster interjected good-naturedly.
“Do you seriously think we can keep a bunch of Irish people in the crowd quiet?”
New Zealand: Beauden Barrett; Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Leicester Fainga’anuku; Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax; Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett; Shannon Frizell, Sam Cane (capt), Ardie Savea.
Replacements: Dane Coles, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, Sam Whitelock, Dalton Papali’i, Finlay Christie, Damien McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown
Ireland: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, Aki, Lowe; Sexton (capt), Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong; Beirne, Henderson; O’Mahony, van der Flier, Doris.
Replacements: Kelleher, Kilcoyne, Bealham, McCarthy, Conan, Murray, Crowley, O’Brien.
