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'He asked them twice to kick it': Ian Foster on Foley's costly game management

Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie (L) talks to All Blacks head coach Ian Foster ahead of The Rugby Championship & Bledisloe Cup match between the Australia Wallabies and the New Zealand All Blacks at Marvel Stadium on September 15, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

All Blacks head coach Ian Foster believed a very clear call was made from Mathieu Raynal to hand over possession after a delay of the game from the Wallabies.

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The Wallabies looked moments away from a famous win in Melbourne after inside centre Lalakai Foketi secured a critical holding on penalty to snuff out a driving maul from the All Blacks to win the game.

With 90 seconds remaining on the clock, flyhalf Bernard Foley was told by Raynal to make the clearance to touch but the veteran Wallaby was too slow for the referee’s liking.

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Raynal blew a scrum to the All Blacks, turning the tables on the Wallabies which led to a try in extra time to fullback Jordie Barrett.

“I thought it was very clear cut, they were delaying the kick,” Foster said of the decision.

“He said ‘time off’, he warned them and then he said ‘time off’, he said to them ‘speed it up’ and then he said ‘time on’.

“He asked them twice to kick it. I understand the contentious nature about it but it was very clear cut from our position.”

Foster pointed to the way that Andrew Kellaway’s first try was handled by the officials as an ‘unclear’ situation, explaining that the TMO had warranted the pas a second look but that the on-field referees allowed the conversion to take place.

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“The other one that wasn’t clear cut was Kellaway’s try, the TMO wanted to look at what was a very suspicious forward pass and yet the conversion was allowed to be taken,” he said.

“There is a bit of swings and roundabouts but in both cases, it is what is is.”

When the issue was brought up again in the post-match press conference, Foster put responsibility on the Wallabies and indirectly on Bernard Foley for his role in the debacle.

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The All Blacks head coach said it came down to ‘game management’ and understanding the directions from the referee, to which Foley had not given enough weight too.

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“Can I just say, part of your game management is listening to the referee,” Foster said.

“So when the referee says time on, you have to play it.

“I just saw it out there, I saw it very clearly, I heard very clearly what the ref said.

“I think we have got to be careful. If people think that decided the test match then you have to go back and analyse all the other decisions in the game too.

“I thought the ref was very clear about what we did, so whether people agree or disagree, he certainly had a clear mind about it.”

Foley blamed the delay in trying to get his team to understand the lineout call over the 39 seconds that elapsed.

“We were understanding the lineout call,” Foley later told Stan Sport.

“The ref said time off and he sped it up.

“It’s just disappointing how great a game was and yet we’re talking about the referee.”

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11 Comments
R
Ruby 779 days ago

Call was correct, it's not a matter of debate, I've never seen anyone carded for targeting legs in the ruck but no one (apart from Rennie and that thug that did it) is arguing that it doesn't warrant a card just because they haven't seen a card for that reason. Generally players are smart enough to kick it when they've been told to multiple times.

M
Martin 779 days ago

If you are any doubt as to what just happened on the field of play best thing to do is check the scoreboard 😊

j
jaze 780 days ago

On first watch I thought it was a ridiculous call. And super harsh.

Ive watched it twice more and actually he (the ref) tells them again and again starting early with nick white and then axel. The Aussie players are yelling at him to kick it so you can’t tell me he didn’t know.

After playing South Africa I’m a bit sick of the time wasting they constantly pull at every lineout and scrum. So actually I think it’s good - get on with it!!

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Chris 780 days ago

I bet if Fozzie was on the receiving end in a RWC final he would sing a very different tune…

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ross 780 days ago

Unfortunately lost more respect for Foster. First he lets his hand picked coaches get canned, without taking responsibility as a leader should. Now he’s defending a refereeing decision that is unprecedented. Regardless of the accuracy of the call, we’ve never seen the like and hopefully don’t again. Disappointed that Fozzie is defending the ref after sliding into a victory thanks to the refs call. The ABs deserve better.

m
matt 781 days ago

There should be a set time to take a penalty kick. Simplify it for everyone.

Agree with the call though

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 3 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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