Tri Nations rugby: Ian Foster addresses comments made by All Blacks captain Sam Cane after loss to Pumas

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has referred to comments made by Sam Cane after the team’s loss to Argentina, backing his captain’s decision to speak his mind.

Cane spoke about the fan reaction that came after back-to-back losses to Australia and Argentina, saying Sky sportIt’s The Breakdown that some fans might not know as much about rugby as they think.

While some agreed with him or were glad to see an All Blacks captain speak his mind, Cane’s comments drew a lot of criticism. Talking to Newstalk ZBMartin Devlin, Foster said he might have disagreed with the comments, he is happy to have his captain share his thoughts.

“When it comes to expressing himself, I would like to think that the New Zealand public knows that their captain is going to say what he thinks. That’s what he does,” said Foster.

“Do I agree with what he said? Not really, and I know, talking to Sam, he knows it too, that our fans are lovely.

“At the end of the day, we know you can’t say that, and he fundamentally doesn’t believe that. We are tougher on ourselves, we go through that process and when you keep listening to him, he challenges you mentally and he will learn a little about that. I don’t think There must be no mistake, he is becoming an outstanding captain and I am excited about that. “

The 28-year-old Cane is in his first year as the All Blacks patron, and was named to succeed Kieran Read when Foster replaced Steve Hansen at the helm after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

His tenure has not gotten off to the best start, with two victories in five rounds. However, with the team at the beginning of a new era, it could take time for them to function like a well-oiled machine, particularly in today’s environment, which is fraught with uncertainty and hasty scheduling due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“When it comes to Sam, I support him 100 percent,” Foster said. “I think he’s doing a great job internally as captain, and his form in the park has been outstanding. He has things that he’s still working on and that’s great.”