To say the least, very troubled waters at the All Blacks after yesterday's defeat, the second in a week, against Ireland, which therefore won the series over the three matches 2-1.
At the New Zealand national rugby team such a fact, losing two games in a row at home, had not happened since 1994, it was in which rugby was not yet fully dedicated to professionalism, and France had accomplished that feat.
So now the local press is unleashed in criticism, dictated by the game expressed by the All Blacks and by the fact that tomorrow, when the new World Rugby ranking is published, New Zealand will drop off the podium and will be fourth, a disgrace for a team. which represents the nation in the world and is considered a living symbol of the sport of rugby.
So it is inevitable that coach Ian Foster, a former assistant who took over from Steve Hansen in 2019, after the World Cup in Japan, ended up in the eye of the storm.
But so far his results at the helm of the team testify to 16 wins, one draw and as many as 7 defeats, with a success rate of 66.7% versus 89% of his predecessor.
So while the patron of the New Zealand federation Mark Robinson speaks of "unacceptable performances by our team" explaining that there is a need for "immediate countermeasures and to work hard", the fans have launched, on the 'Change.org' platform, a petition for Foster to be exonerated.
In his place, the call of Scott Robertson, coach of the Crusaders who won the Super Rugby title, is invoked.
But in the race there would also be the former New Zealand coach of Ireland Joe Schmidt, who recently joined the ranks of the federal technicians of his country of origin and who, in the absence of Foster struggling with Covid, had led the All Blacks on 2 last July in the only match won (42-19) of the three played this month against the Irish.
Meanwhile, thousands of people have already signed the online petition.