FOSTER WATCH 2K22! WILL HE STAY OR WILL HE GO!

[morepork]

Luckily they sold the brand to Silverlake before the brand went to fish paste....

[Puja]

4. Big changes are expected in the squad. The sad fact is, not everyone is up for it at this stage.

I've not kept up with Super Rugby - are there players that people are clamouring for and feel are being unfairly ignored, or is it just getting a new crew in with the hope they'll do better?

Puja

[Cameo]

Haha.- I kind of enjoy how wrong many of the journalists were on this one. In a way,.if Foster is to stay, good on him for sticking to his guns and not making big changes because that's what everyone wants. I'd like Papalii at 7, but If Foster thinks Came is the best 7 and Captain, it is hardly going to improve his standing in the squad if he chucks him under the bus just to appease his critics.

[zer0]

Short of some properly Machiavellian backroom machinations, I'd be surprised if Ryan would leave Robertson like that. Also I thought he was already signed on with Fiji for this year and/or next year?

Though it wouldn't surprise me at all if NZR decide to fuck the Blues to save Fosters weaselly hide. Which means they'd probably take Coventry as well.

And no mention of Plumtree...

[Cameo]

Haha.- I kind of enjoy how wrong many of the journalists were on this one. In a way,.if Foster is to stay, good on him for sticking to his guns and not making big changes because that's what everyone wants. I'd like Papalii at 7, but If Foster thinks Came is the best 7 and Captain, it is hardly going to improve his standing in the squad if he chucks him under the bus just to appease his critics.

"not making changes" is the problem.

No, actually, let me rephrase that - Foster's already made some big changes, the main one being "he took a team that was going through a decline and made them shit."

There are quite a few in that team that are simply non-performers, while people that should be in there continue to be overlooked. Ofa Tu'ungafasi simply isn't up to snuff in current form. Why not bring in the best performing tighthead in Super Rugby, Oli Jager? But hey, not to worry, they brought in Tyrel Lomax, one of the worst tighthead props to play for the All Blacks in the last 10 years.

Cullen Grace, who had an excellent series for the MABs against the Irish is overlooked, so that they can bring in a woman-bashing cunt like BIG BOY SHAN, who has been given chance after chance and has proven himself a flat-track bully every time.

Oh I agree,.there should be changes. But IF Foster is to stay it is best that he stays with enough confidence that he doesn't care what people like us think.

[J Dory]

Searching for the team announcement I can't help but run into numerous articles speaking to the cause of the ABs demise. I'm just not buying it ... yet. Anyone know when the team will be announced? Looking forward the game on Saturday.

[Puja]

Searching for the team announcement I can't help but run into numerous articles speaking to the cause of the ABs demise. I'm just not buying it ... yet. Anyone know when the team will be announced? Looking forward the game on Saturday.

I think they have been pronounced dead very early - Ireland are a very good team indeed and losing to them isn't something that should bring out the obituary notices for the New Zealand rugby team.

Puja

[J Dory]

Team announced:
All Blacks: Jordie Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, David Havili, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Akira Ioane, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Angus Ta'avao, Samisoni Taukei'aho, George Bower.

Reserves: Dane Coles, Ethan de Groot, Tyrel Lomax, Tupou Vaa'i, Shannon Frizell, Finlay Christie, Richie Mo'unga, Quinn Tupaea.

[paddy no 11]

Is that the front row ye wanted lads?

Not much else changed

[J Dory]

I would have liked to see a change in the halves, happy Christie is on the bench, but would have liked to see him and Richie start.

[Numbers]

I'm thinking that the ABs will win this one, I'm looking forward to seeing Caleb Clarke, I would also have preferred Mo-unga t ostart with Beauden Barret @ 15 and Jordie on the bench, tho I admit to not knowing who Quinn Tupaea is .

[Puja]

It looks like Foster has been told the 2-test series against the Boks is him having to save his job. Gregor Paul has reported in the Herald that Fozzie's been told he's expected to resign if he either loses in South Africa (lol, pretty much a guarantee with that useless fucker) or if the team shows no significant improvement with Jason Ryan taking on the forwards and Schmidt holding his hand (also a non-zero chance of this).

Bye bye, Foster. You won't be missed. And take Shannon Frizell with you too, while you're at it. Fuck him.

Does he have to win both to survive? Or would just one win do?

I'm kinda rooting for you guys to win so you'll keep him because a) he's not very good and that helps our RWC chances and b) I'm hoping we'll get Scott Robertson in to help/understudy Eddie, which will also help our RWC chances, but I don't think that'll happen while he's still hopeful of Foster getting sacked and him getting an SOS.

Puja

[Puja]

No specific details are known, but someone has leaked to Gregor Paul at the Herald that he "should resign if performances and results don't measure up."

Foster, allegedly has refused to resign because of course. If he had any respect for the All Blacks and the job he's got, he'd have announced his resignation in the wake of the series loss to Ireland.


Also, Razor's stated he won't accept any job other than "head coach," so keep that in mind.

The RFU are apparently looking for Jones's successor to shadow him so that he's in place before 2023 and there'll be continuity (presumably copying the success your lot have had recently with internal promotion), so the rumour is Robertson in to handle the attack with the guarantee that he'll be heir to the throne.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Didn’t you spank Ireland in the first test? How bad can the two losses afterwards have actually been?

It’s weird seeing NZ fans feeling as entitled to be one of the best teams in the world as England fans often seem to be. Are the players just not quite as good anymore, or has the coaching really not been up to it for a while?

[Mikey Brown]

Fair enough, doesn’t sound so great from that angle.

[J Dory]

my dodgy stream has failed me, anyone have a link

[morepork]

What an arse fucking. Bullied out of it. Again. Brainless penalties and a backline strategy consisting of "chuck it to Beauden then stand around and watch him". Cane was captain, right, because Ardie seemed like the leader out there? They completely dominated us from kick off. The ginger stepchild looks the business at halfback but. How many limp efforts in a row is that now?

[J Dory]

Yep,that was poor. What has happened to our backline.

Christie and Mo'Unga have to start IMO, Beaudy moves to 15. But even then....

[morepork]

By the way, who cut Jordie Barrett's hair? Helen Keller?

[Spiffy]

Jordan, possibly the world's best wing, had the ball in his hands about twice. One, he kicked dead, the other he knocked on. Caleb Clarke looked a bit short of gas in failing to score against Willemse, and was also well-contained by his small wing opponent Arendse all game.

[J Dory]

Worth a look maybe.

[Cameo]

South Africa actually bothered to use some of their backs and played really well, which was a nice change. Am's ball off the floor was great. Him and De Allende are some partnership.

As for NZ, I don't think they are terrible, they just seem a bit undercoached to me and to rely on individuals having moments. I think it is time for Foster to go but I don't really see why he has to resign. NZRU should sack him if they don't think he's up to it, he clearly thinks he is at the moment. Until that changes why resign? It'd be different if he had done something unethical or had lost the support of the players but there is no real suggestion of that.

On the red-which was clear as day. South Africa dominated in the air throughout but they, and most other teams, take the approach that when chasing a kick you should 'own the space' (i.e. jump past the ball and catch it almost behind you or knock it back). It works and makes it incredible had for the defender to get a clean catch, but it is dangerous. I don't think it should be outlawed as it's stupid to say how people need to catch the ball, but I think it needs to be a penalty every single time if they go too far beyond the ball and bump the opponent before they have been allowed to get to the ball. It shouldn't be an excuse that your eyes were on the ball if you are deliberately erring on the side of going beyond it so as to make it hard for the opponent. You see it all the time but both Jordie Barrett and Will Jordan get taken out today in that way. It is the same move (just executed even worse) that led to the red (which was properly dangerous).

[Cameo]

As for NZ, I don't think they are terrible, they just seem a bit undercoached to me and to rely on individuals having moments. I think it is time for Foster to go but I don't really see why he has to resign. NZRU should sack him if they don't think he's up to it, he clearly thinks he is at the moment. Until that changes why resign? It'd be different if he had done something unethical or had lost the support of the players but there is no real suggestion of that.

Because he's shit and not up to the task, and the longer he clings on to dear life, the more it tarnishes the team. If he had any integrity and respect for the team he's coaching, he'd have fucked off at the end of the series against Ireland.

That's where I think it gets weirdly personal. He may well be deluded in thinking he is still the best man for the job, but I've not seen anything suggested any lack of integrity - exactly the opposite really. He didn't decide to appoint himself and he's not well placed to realise it's time to go.

Anyway, I think we are agreed. It is time for them to replace him. I think there is plenty potential in this squad (albeit the competition is too strong for them to become dominant again any time soon) and Robertson will be licking his lips.

[paddy no 11]

Lomax broke the land speed record for fastest scrum collapse (seemed OK after that)

[paddy no 11]

Posted that before seeing Barrett incident hope he's OK