(Reuters) – Coach Ian Foster assured fans that the All Blacks were not worrying about their performance in the World Cup, despite suffering a crushing 35-7 defeat to the world champion Springboks in their final warm-up game at Twickenham.
New Zealand experienced their worst defeat in 102 years of playing test rugby on Friday, conceding five tries and losing Scott Barrett to a red card. The alarming result raised concerns back home.
Foster acknowledged that there were mitigating factors, such as the need to provide game time to certain players, and admitted that the All Blacks appeared “rusty”. Nevertheless, he urged his famously anxious compatriots to remain composed.
“We’re confident. It may not seem like it, especially after that spanking we received, but we’re not panicking about the result,” Foster reassured in an interview on the All Blacks website.
“We knew we were going to face challenges. It wasn’t the outcome we desired, yet I still believe in our plan,” he added.
“I still stand by the decision to give playing time to the players who needed it. Unfortunately, Scott didn’t play as long as I would’ve preferred,” Foster expressed.
During the match, the All Blacks struggled against the formidable South African forwards and their discipline faltered under pressure, leading to captain Sam Cane also being sin-binned.
Foster anticipated that France, the tournament hosts, would adopt a similar strategy to target the All Blacks’ pack in their World Cup opener at Stade de France on September 8.
“We now have a clear benchmark to assess our skill level. Everyone is in the same situation after this weekend,” Foster stated.
“We need to make the most of our training camp in Germany and approach the exciting World Cup in France with determination,” he added.
“There was a lot of emotion in the locker room afterwards, but we have to calm down and remind ourselves that this is what World Cups are like. If you’re seeking a dress rehearsal, this is as close to perfect as it gets,” Foster concluded.
The All Blacks, three-time World Cup winners, will also face Italy, Uruguay, and Namibia in Pool A during the September 8 to October 28 tournament.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
Credit: The Star : Sport Feed
