Bledisloe Cup rugby 2020: All Blacks coach Ian Foster reveals significant change to All Blacks

Ian Foster has revealed that a significant reduction in the All Blacks leadership group is helping to jumpstart their new era.

Instead of replacing seasoned figures like Kieran Read, Ben Smith, Sonny Bill Williams and Ryan Crotty, who departed after last year’s World Cup, Foster has reduced the number of players responsible for delivering player-directed messages.

Sam Cane, with a series of commanding performances, continues to grow into the role of captain he took over from Read this year.

Blocking the Bledisloe Cup represents the Foster-Cane partnership’s first triumph which is in its infancy.

“He has done work that he can be particularly proud of,” Foster said of his employer. “He’s led the team off the field, he’s empowering others, he has a very dynamic leadership team, it’s a smaller team than we’ve had before, but there are people who really shine in that space, like Sam Whitelock, Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett, who have done a good job supporting him.

“What I love about Sam is that his first job is to play well. If you look at his performances in the park, it’s pretty clear and obvious how much it means to him to lead this team.”

Asked about the reduction in the leadership group, Foster revealed that he has opted for a united team.

“We lost about five from last year, so basically we haven’t replaced them, so the leadership group is significantly smaller. We felt that with some new coaches and some other new people it was important that we align some people at a deep level. and then we’ll see if we expand it after that.

“It has been really beneficial because it has put a lot of pressure on some of our leaders to make sure they are leading really effectively and putting a lot of work into that space, so we are delighted with where we are.”

One of the many advantages the All Blacks had over the Wallabies in their 43-5 record win in Sydney was superior experience.

While 20-year-old Wallabies rookie playmaker Noah Lolesio struggled to stand on the big stage, in the last two tryouts the All Blacks have seen the likes of Caleb Clarke, Hoskins Sotutu, Alex Hodgman and Tupou. Vaa’i prosper. debut.

The depth of the All Blacks is such that many more new faces, including Cullen Grace and Will Jordan, are likely to get their break in the coming weeks as well.

The ease with which the All Blacks rookies have transitioned is testament to their temperament, but also highlights an environment that allows them to immediately feel comfortable transferring their skills from Super Rugby to the proving ground.

Coaches, of course, play an important role in that process, but so is the leadership group responsible for bringing out the best in all players, particularly new ones at this much-analyzed stage.

Many wondered aloud what changes would come if Foster took over from Steve Hansen.

Shrinking the leadership group is a change that already seems to be paying off, with All Blacks running back TJ Perenara noticing the difference.

“Whether you add or remove people from the leadership group, you will notice. The great influence that ours has had on the group is that it has given more people time to have their voice,” Perenara said. “When you have 12 people sitting in a room compared to eight, it’s just mathematical that you are going to have more time to discuss certain points without having to have so much different information.

“The dynamics of this group gives us a greater opportunity to munch a bit more on the issues that come up. It gives people more opportunities to have their voice heard and we don’t rush as much in a lot of our conversations. little more clarity.

“We have a lot of leaders in this group who are captains of their Super Rugby franchises or are in leadership roles, so you can see those guys step up and lead during the week, which is very helpful for Sam and to be able to perform at the level we need “.