Under-fire Foster defends naming unchanged All Blacks team

HAMILTON – All Blacks coach Ian Foster took a dig at critics who “want blood” as he defended naming an unchanged team on Thursday for the Rugby Championship Test against Argentina in Hamilton.

The under-pressure Foster overhauled his bench for Saturday’s Test, saying the faltering finish to last week’s 25-18 loss to the Pumas in Christchurch needed to be addressed.

Hooker Dane Coles, lock Brodie Retallick, flanker Dalton Papali’i and fly-half Beauden Barrett are recalled as reserves, bringing 298 caps of experience with them.

But the starting side is untouched and Foster said that making wholesale changes was not the answer, as the All Blacks try to salvage a year that has started with four defeats from six Tests and led to calls for Foster’s axing.

“For those that want blood, I guess we haven’t given it have we?” Foster told journalists, before explaining he doesn’t want his players feeling like their position is constantly under threat.

“If you play under fear, you restrict your options, you restrict your thinking and what actually happens is you don’t get your game going.

“We believe the best way to build confidence in those pressure moments is put the guys out there who have just been through it, have felt it.

“There’s always pressure on individuals when they run out in a black jersey and we’ve been hard on ourselves behind the scenes.”

Argentina’s victory last weekend was their first against the All Blacks in New Zealand.

Foster said a review of the Christchurch Test had highlighted New Zealand’s command of possession and territory – primarily off the dominance of their scrum – which had made the historic defeat all the more difficult to accept.

Up 15-6 early on and still in front after 50 minutes, Foster said his side became “flustered” over the closing stages, repeatedly running into Argentina’s wall of defenders rather than varying their game.

“It’s an area where I think great All Blacks teams have always been great – in that last 15 minutes – backing themselves and doing the right thing,” he said.

“We clearly got a bit flustered under a bit of pressure and it narrowed down some of our options.

“On the field we have to get better than that.”

Team (15-1):

Jordie Barrett; Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, David Havili, Caleb Clarke; Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (capt), Shannon Frizell; Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock; Tyrel Lomax, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ethan de Groot.

Replacements: Dane Coles, George Bower, Fletcher Newell, Brodie Retallick, Dalton Papali’i, Finlay Christie, Beauden Barrett, Quinn Tupaea.