One defeat too many.
After a poor performance, the All Blacks lost Saturday in South Africa, 26-10, at the opening of the Rugby Championship.
Their third defeat in a row after their two defeats in early July at home to Ireland, only the second northern nation to win a series in New Zealand after France in 1994. The fifth defeat in their last six meetings (France, three times Ireland, South Africa).
A black series that makes headlines in the land of the Long White Cloud.
Where the reference daily does not hesitate, in full One, to claim the head of the coach, Ian Foster.
“
It is time to end his functions
, claims the New Zealand Herald.
The Herald takes no pleasure in calling him out, but Foster - a decent man but overwhelmed by a position too brutal for him - must go!
New Zealand rugby has placed Foster in a job he seems totally unsuited for.
They must now find a way to deal with his departure.
Whether he is paid to leave (as he should be), or whether he does so voluntarily…
” The sum of two million New Zealand dollars is mentioned as compensation (€1.23 million).
It's time for a change... New Zealand Herald
“
The results are overwhelming.
But, more than that, it's the way that really matters.
They play bad rugby.
The players are too easily discouraged and too often borrowed, confused in the execution of their roles
”, continues the daily.
Adding that even an improbable success next Saturday against these same Springboks would not change anything.
“
It would just hide the cracks.
(…) The team is on a clear downward trajectory, with only one year to reverse the trend and avoid the ruin of the World Cup in France.
The credibility of a 117-year-old legacy hangs in the balance. In the modern era of the All Blacks, there haven't been darker days than these….
»
According to Stuff, the dice would already be cast.
The New Zealand Federation would have noted that Ian Foster will no longer be coach after this second test in South Africa.
But his replacement by Scott Robertson, who has just led the Crusaders to five consecutive titles in Super Rugby is not certain.
It is necessary to negotiate the repurchase of its contract with the franchise based in Christchurch.
To make matters worse, the public challenges of Ian Foster on the overflow of commitment of the Springboks at the reception of the air balloons strongly displeased the New Zealand media.
“
This ridiculous claim is a fatal blow to his reputation
,” insists the New Zealand Herald.
Also mocking his satisfaction displayed after the defeat.
“
In many ways it was probably our best performance of the year.
Enough evidence shows that we are heading in the right direction.
(…) We have made progress, it is up to us to prove it next week.
"
The art of turning defeat into victory
," quipped Stuff.
/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/prisa/S7UVDTX7DREC7DXVCZN6MEKGBY.jpg)
