All Blacks Head Coach Ian Foster during the post match press conference. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
All Blacks Head Coach Ian Foster during the post match press conference. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
On his home patch, after a resounding response, Ian Foster projected confidence that his All Blacks will harness their latest revival to push on and challenge for the Rugby Championship title.
Running in seven tries at Waikato Stadium could not have painted a starker contrast to the All Blacks' maidenhome defeat to Pumas in Christchurch.
This week the All Blacks made the adjustments to control the rematch from the outset through a varied and astute kicking game, dominant carries and punishing defence, while savouring free-flowing breakdown interpretations that paved the way for a vastly improved spectacle.
"Clearly it was a very different performance from last week so delighted with it," Foster said after his side's commanding 53-3 bonus point victory. "It was a big week for us, we had to respond. I thought we did it in a ruthless manner which I'm delighted with. There were a number of questions with putting the same group out again but we really believe in the direction we're going."
After reviving their Rugby Championship hopes with two Bledisloe Cup matches to follow, Foster noted the torrid time the All Blacks endured in the wake of three wins from their past nine tests. He made a point, too, of singling out much-maligned All Blacks captain Sam Cane for his gutsy 64-minute shift that included one bone-rattling hit on opposite Marcos Kremer.
"This Championship is important to us and we put ourselves into a bit of a hole last week," Foster said. "We had to respond and do what we did. To walk away with a bonus point and a big points differential in a tight competition, at least it keeps us in the race.
Will Jordan of the All Blacks. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
"We're going to need two good performances to have a chance at this Championship. All we've done is put ourselves back into contention.
"We've worked hard to get our game to where we want it to be. It hasn't happened at the speed we'd like but we saw signs of that.
"There's no doubt the team has felt a whole lot of different pressure. I'm proud of the way the guys hung in there and [didn't get] tight under the pressure and played with ambition.
"I'm particularly proud of [Cane] for his week. He's been under the pump from various quarters but I thought he might've answered a few questions too."
Cane acknowledged his coach's praise, the All Blacks significantly improved discipline and their ruthlessness to pile on four second-half tries after leading 24-3 at halftime. After three losses at home this year, which includes the 2-1 series defeat to Ireland in July, the All Blacks needed a statement performance such as this.
"We'd be quick to put our hand up and say we haven't been proud of the performances we've put out at home," Cane said. "We were pretty determined to put one on at home. We've only got one more the rest of the year so it was pleasing. It felt like a good reward internally for a team that's been working extremely hard behind the scenes."
Rieko Ioane of the All Blacks celebrates after scoring a try during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Argentina. Photo / Getty Images.
After scoring three points in the second half and collapsing in the final quarter last week, Foster took heart from the attack that flourished despite persistent rain on the back of a dominant forward platform and contestable kicks from Richie Mo'unga and David Havili in particular.
"The read of it was really good early. We got reward for that and a lot of our ball carries. We didn't let the conditions blind us to taking space when it was on and we had the confidence to do it. There were a few things that weren't perfect but I love the mindset when this team plays like that."
Alongside Cane, Foster hailed the impact from the likes of Brodie Retallick, Beauden Barrett, Dane Coles and George Bower off the bench; Samisoni Taukei'aho's ever-increasing influence and Rieko Ioane, who had a hand in the first three tries and thrived with time and space on the ball.
"It was one of his best test matches I've seen him play for a long time, one of his best at centre," Foster said. "We've been putting a similar combination out for a reason. We're determined to grow some athletes we've got some faith in and there's been a little bit of pain in that. He's feeling confident, secure in his environment and he's doing more of the darker arts of the breakdown and ball carrying than what we've seen. That's given him the confidence to get more involved."
