The full Ian Foster press conference that's upset a lot of All Blacks fans
The tone of head coach Ian Foster and captain Sam Cane's press conference after the All Blacks' worst defeat to South Africa in 94 years has upset many among their supporter base.
Foster - who is under enormous pressure to keep his job - appeared to drive a narrative of an improving New Zealand side, despite arguably one of their worst performances in living memory.
The men in black looked bereft of ideas and were physically outgunned by the Springboks' pack.
Kurt-Lee Arendse’s maiden Test try condemned New Zealand to three straight defeats for the first time since 1998 as 14-man South Africa triumphed 26-10 in the Rugby Championship opener.
Shannon Frizzell claimed a late try for the again-stunned All Blacks, but Willie le Roux hit back with a score of his own to claim the last word.
The two sides meet again in Johannesburg in a week’s time, where anything other than a New Zealand victory could easily see Foster forced out of his job.
Yet Foster preferred to dwell on the positives, to the point where many fans were questioning if the 52-year-old was talking about the same match.
"We're bitterly disappointed but I felt it was our most improved performance this year," said the 52-year-old. "Some of the areas we really shifted our game forward. In a game dominated by defence we defended well but our timing was out a little bit in terms of the attack so we're going to have to go and have a look at that."
"There's a few players over here for the first time feeling the pressure that comes from this type of team.
"We came over here for a two-game series and we always knew it was going to be tough. We felt that tonight. They get the lollies and they thoroughly deserve that. We've got to take some things that we've made big shifts in. We nullified a large part of their driving game.
"We made some shifts defensively and in the last quarter we were starting to open things up. We started to snatch at a couple of balls which is frustrating but we've got to take that experience and take it into Ellis Park, walk in there and give it a crack."
additional reporting PA
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Thanks Nick. Surely they will thump Japan this week and the pressure will be off. Do you want to make a prediction that the defence coach will go before the Six Nations? England seem to want Borthwick there for a long time so surely they will back Bortho and look for a new defence coach?
Go to commentsYes, Carlos, I sensed before hand this would be a very close game, even could see an Arg. win....well, they have beaten all their three SH compatriots this year, then added Italy. And as nick says below, they were winners of the breakdown for a lot of the game, and both sides of the ball too.
Felipe very highly regarded in Ireland, esp. Leinster.
Good luck this weekend !
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