All Blacks v Australia: no one has noticed a role, says coach Ian Foster

Had a public poll been conducted after Richie Mo’unga embarrassed the Wallabies last weekend, the lifetime membership of the All Blacks No. 10 club would have been guaranteed.

Now Mo’unga can’t even break the All Blacks game on the 23rd to play on the dead rubber in Brisbane on Saturday night.

Instead, Beauden Barrett, the two-time World Rugby player of the year, has been moved to the first fifth eighth after starting the previous two Bledisloe Cup games as a fullback.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster said there was nothing sinister about Mo’unga’s demotion after he scored two attempts and kicked 13 points as the All Blacks defeated the Australians 43-5 to retain the Bledisloe Cup in Sydney

READ MORE:
* All Blacks vs Australia: Akira Ioane, Asafo Aumua, Cullen Grace and Will Jordan debuted in the tests
* All Blacks v Australia: The enormity of the task sinks in for Oz coach Dave Rennie
* All Blacks v Australia: Richie Mo’unga’s strategy to overcome debate No. 10

It’s about rest and recovery, Foster said.

However, Mo’unga may still feel anxious, as Barrett finally has a rare chance to prove himself worthy of more appearances at his favorite spot at No. 10.

“I don’t think anyone has ever noticed a role on an All Blacks team,” Foster said.

“You have to keep acting, but I’m pretty sure Richie can sit in the stands, or whatever he’s doing, and be pretty satisfied with what he’s done.

“The moment you sit down and feel satisfied, it is a harbinger of bad things to come. I don’t think anyone should feel safe, but they should be very proud of what they did in the last test. ”

Although Barrett hasn’t started in the top five since testing against Tonga in Hamilton 14 months ago, his change in job descriptions isn’t good news for Wallabies coach Dave Rennie.

While Rennie dropped a bombshell by naming Reece Hodge to start his second tryout at No. 10 after rookie Noah Lolesio’s kicking game was exposed at ANZ Stadium, Foster should have fewer concerns about Barrett’s ability to do a job for him since he has played the majority of his 85 playoffs.

“We always said we were really looking forward to Beaudie getting a chance to get back to No. 10,” added Foster. “Obviously he is outstanding in that position and he deserves that right.

“So it’s a great way to kill two birds with one stone, really.”

With the Bledisloe Cup safe and the international program curtailed by Covid-19, Foster has not been afraid to accelerate the bleeding of players.

It has incorporated eight new faces, making 10 position changes. This includes opening Akira Ioane on his first test outing on the blind flank and adding Asafo Aumua, Cullen Grace and Will Jordan to the bench.

There will also be a lot of interest in how Ngani Laumape, who was left out of the World Cup team last year, performs in the second five.

Ioane’s story is one of redemption after he was also unwanted for the World Cup squad, receiving a verbal gesture from former coach Sir Steve Hansen just in case.

Ioane’s confidence levels plummeted and her weight skyrocketed; but his performances for the Blues, combined with the support of friends and family, have led him to start this test with his younger brother Rieko Ioane.

Rieko Ioane, who started at center in the tie at 16 at Bledisloe I in Brisbane, scored a try as a replacement on the right wing last week. It’s on the left flank for this one.

But they haven’t told him to put aside his goal of playing midfield.

As it stands, Foster said the Anton Lienert-Brown center shape had been too hot to ignore.

“Again, we are reasonably open with him. [Ioane] about midfield and wing, ” Foster said. “But the key is that he is good enough to play both.”