All Blacks tour of South Africa

[Dan54]

If I happen to be awake at kickoff time & the upstairs TV happens to be on I might give it a watch...

Got visitors coming have already told them to shut their bedroom door and wear earplugs at 3am Sunday morning, and again at 7am when Aussie play Argentina!!! (Also told them I have to be at college rugby Sat morning, but f*** them it's only brother in law, and he went to Horowhenua College and played for college old boys in Levin, so even 40odd years later he gets no mercy!!)

I would add after a couple of weeks I feel like I have shaken off this covid shit properly, so ready for rugby even more than usual!! (though I went last week anyway)

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

AB are underdogs at TAB for only the fourth time ever:

All Blacks opening as underdogs at the NZ TAB

$2.00 v South Africa, Mbombela, 2022

$2.50 v South Africa, Durban, 2009

$2.60 v South Africa, Bloemfontein, 2009

$2.30 v South Africa, Durban, 1998

Stuff

i.stuff.co.nz

 

[Dismal Pillock]

LOL Angus Tauvao and Tyrel Lomax. The standard is not good. History will judge these mugs.

Still at least Codie Taylor will be in the stands.

David fucking Havili ffs.

wft so Dick Frizzle leapfrogs ahead of Papalii and Sotutu? On the basis of fucking what?

 

[zer0]

wft so Dick Frizzle leapfrogs ahead of Papalii and Sotutu? On the basis of fucking what?

Clearly on the basis of his inspirational overcoming of immense disruptions* he suffered on the mean streets of Dunners.

*Or whatever the hell term it was Ian Cuckster used.

 

[KiwiM]

wft so Dick Frizzle leapfrogs ahead of Papalii and Sotutu? On the basis of fucking what?

I genuinely think Foster may have forgotten Sotutu is in the squad.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

I genuinely think Foster may have forgotten Sotutu is in the squad.

"Are you the new hooker?"
"No, I'm Hoskins. The backup #8."
"Oh, right, right... did you bring your boots?"
"..........................yes."
"Great, we'll see if we can get you a run sometime".

Fozzie wanders off and by the next day has completely forgotten who "Hoskins Sotutu" is. Again.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Behind the paywall for me but

SPORT|Rugby

Exclusive: Ian Foster told to resign if All Blacks lose in South Africa​

05 Aug 02:00 PM
The total cost of terminating the contracts of Foster and team could be in excess of $3m.

I'm sorry but ASK him to resign? WFT, is that how "resigning" works?

Fozzie won't get his massive payout if he resigns.

TL/DR he would be a maniac to resign. He is only 57-years old but in all probability KNOWS this could be the last job he ever has in his life. He's sure as fuck never working as a "rugby coach" again. Utterly rumbled. Even the Under 10's would just laugh in his face and use Player Power to commandeer the team. "Yeah just sit over there, dead-eyed old man, ffs, we've got this".

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Fozzie ignores Sotutu and the other bright lights of Soup Rugby and just keeps picking the same tenured failures every week..... in the same wrong positions...... and expecting results to change. Just like he did at the Chiefs. Then Rennie comes in, bins the lot, and they instantly win the whole shebang back-to-back.

Fuckign driving me crazayyyyy here.

FUCK!

I cannot subscribe to this narrative any more. Ah cahnt spake

 

[Dctarget]

Fuck me that’s intense. Imagine saying to any other team if you lose to the World Cup winners on their home turf you’re fired.

anyways I think he’s safe, SA are overrated, reckon the darkness will roll them.

 

[zer0]

Behind the paywall for me but


I'm sorry but ASK him to resign? WFT, is that how "resigning" works?

Fozzie won't get his massive payout if he resigns.

TL/DR he would be a maniac to resign. He is only 57-years old but in all probability KNOWS this could be the last job he ever has in his life. He's sure as fuck never working as a "rugby coach" again. Utterly rumbled. Even the Under 10's would just laugh in his face and use Player Power to commandeer the team. "Yeah just sit over there, dead-eyed old man, ffs, we've got this".

There you go, son.

All Blacks head coach Ian Foster is understood to have been told by his New Zealand Rugby bosses that they expect him to resign if his side loses in South Africa or fails to show definitive improvements.

The Herald understands the request was made by NZR chief executive Mark Robinson and general manager of professional rugby Chris Lendrum at a tense meeting at Foster's house a few days after the All Blacks had lost the series to Ireland. At the same meeting Foster presented his plan to reshape his coaching team by axing assistant coaches John Plumtree and Brad Mooar and bring in Crusaders forwards supremo Jason Ryan. That move was approved, but Foster was then told it may not be enough to save his job and that he was being given the series against South Africa to prove whether he is the right man to carry on as head coach.

It is believed that when he was told that he should resign if performances and results don't measure up in South Africa, Foster made it clear that if Robinson wants him out, he will have to sack him.

Signs of disunity first emerged on the Sunday following the third test loss to Ireland, when after a pre-arranged media conference with Foster was cancelled without communication, Robinson issued a statement in which he said: "The performance across the series for the All Blacks was not acceptable." The following Friday Foster fronted a media conference on his own at Auckland Airport to reveal the Rugby Championship squad. He also had to tell the media that coaching changes were in the pipeline but due to an ongoing process, he couldn't say what they were. The Herald is aware that several leading figures in the rugby fraternity made overtures for Robinson to be at Foster's side to handle the questions about the potential coaching changes as they were employment matters and therefore in the chief executive's wheelhouse.

A week later, after having not spoken publicly since issuing the statement after the third test, Robinson appeared on Jason Pine's Newstalk ZB show, and said: "As we've signalled he's certainly the person to lead the team to South Africa and we're making sure that we've got everything possible in the way of resourcing and support to make sure that's successful." The inference was clear – that Foster is only definitely in charge for the next two tests, but no details have been offered as to what results the All Blacks need to achieve or what performance criteria they need to meet for him to keep his job.

Speculation has arisen that the All Blacks will need to win at least one of the two tests, but it is not known whether that has specifically been laid down to the coach and nor is it clear what will happen if they lose both and Foster can't be persuaded to fall on his sword.
Robinson was asked to confirm whether Foster has been given specific feedback on what is expected of the All Blacks in South Africa and whether he's also been told of the consequences of those targets not being met. He said he couldn't comment on any discussions held with high-performance personnel.

This move to encourage Foster to resign is thought to be related to a reluctance on the part of NZR to incur yet more termination costs. The national body had to buy Mooar out of a three-year contract with the Scarlets club in Wales back in 2020 – with reports suggesting the cost of that was around $400,000. They then had to pay Mooar again and Plumtree when their two-year All Blacks contracts were terminated with about 18 months left to run. Both men are likely to have been earning about $500,000 a year in their All Blacks jobs.

Foster, who is believed to be paid close to $1million a year, would come with an expensive pay-out if he's sacked and its likely that if he were to be replaced, the new head coach would want to bring in his own people which would see the remainder of the current contracted All Blacks staff – Scott McLeod, Greg Feek and Andrew Strawbridge – also having to be paid out. The total cost of terminating the contracts of Foster and his wider coaching team could be in excess of $3m depending on what compromises can be reached.

So it's a >$3m shits how. Should've just fired him after Ireland and got on with it.

Robinson can jog on too.

EDIT: idk how that quote got broken up but whatever.

 

[zer0]

Though I am now looking forward to the potential Monty Python level farcical situation where both teams are trying their hardest to lose. Every other pass looking right at home in the NFL. Teams losing 40m on a midfield clearing kick. Lineouts so crooked the opposition fullback is claiming them. Captains demanding their own players get red carded for softly, and deliberately, caressing the ball carriers face during a tackle. Full on upper class twit of the year writ large stuff.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

In terms of where Robinson stands in all of this, is it not still the case that the Board appoints the Head Coach & the CEO deals with the duly-appointed HC under delegated authority? In which case if the Board decides to fire Foster Robinson's just the guy who gets to tell him?

I'm sure Robinson had a hand in Foster's appointment & retention but if the shit really hits the fan I don't think the Board should be allowed to duck their responsibility for making the final call to appoint & retain Foster by firing Robinson. I also think that if they go down that road regardless, *certain* Unions may well decide enough is enough & we'd see a cleanout of 2004 proportion.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Zero u championne

The Herald understands the request was made by NZR chief executive Mark Robinson and general manager of professional rugby Chris Lendrum at a tense meeting at Foster's house a few days after the All Blacks had lost the series to Ireland.

Foster made it clear that if Robinson wants him out, he will have to sack him.

I would love to see Fozzie get angry. Just once. He seems so placid and docile. Halftime hairdryer treatment? Throwing a boot at Beaudy's head? Fat fucking chance.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

So it's a >$3m shits how.

$3m? That's nothing! Cyclo can pay that from GAGR banner ad revenues from just 1 week!

 

[Equalizer]

Thankfully this game is on at a repectable 11pm in WA. Not the best AB's team of all time and the Boks will be highly motivated to take a dump on the kiwis. Has the AB's player production belt.come to an end for the foreseeable future or is it just bad coaching? Can we stand listening to the South Africans carry on about the Bokke.

 

[Baldric]

All the talk of how shite the Darkness are. It's the old enemy and it's going to be trench warfare. Always was, always will be.

 

[Equalizer]

Faf De Klerk too hyped up and knocks himself out in less than a minute. Big blow to the Boks losing him.

 

[Equalizer]

Boks putting on the pressure early. AB's unable to clear and the Boks are in. AB's continuing their bad starts.

 

[ACR]

10 minutes in and already on the back foot with the dodgy calls.. ffs. This'll be tough.

 

[ACR]

Refereeing one side.