PARIS — Already the first All Blacks side to lose a Rugby World Cup pool match, Ian Foster’s team insist that the “fear factor” is no motivation for their knockout quarterfinal clash with Ireland on Saturday, despite understanding the tag they will likely be slugged with should they be defeated.
The countdown is on to one of the all-time great quarterfinal clashes in World Cup history. That is not hyperbole, given what is on the line and the various narratives that hover over both teams individually and the match itself.
Ireland are staring down two pieces of history; the Emerald Isle has never previously reached a World Cup semifinal, while they would also equal the Tier 1 record of 18 straight Test victories with a win at Stade de France on Saturday night.
New Zealand, meanwhile, know that from hereon out a loss will spell the end of Foster’s four-year tenure as coach, and likely bring down the curtain on the storied international careers of Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, and for the next three years at least, Richie Mo’unga.
The All Blacks certainly haven’t been the same dominant outfit under Foster that they were under previous coach Steve Hansen and Graham Henry; he has overseen some inglorious firsts in last year’s maiden series loss to Ireland and two defeats by Argentina, including the 2022 loss on home soil.
But coach Jason Ryan, and backs Aaron Smith and Rieko Ioane, all agree that the fear of becoming New Zealand’s “worst World Cup team ever” is no motivating force, instead choosing to focus on the legacy of the black jersey and the need to preserve it moving forward.
“It’s a strong question,” Ryan replied when asked about comments from Sean Fitzpatrick that one of his great motivators in his time as All Blacks captain was the fear of losing.
“The All Black jersey means a lot to us and we’ve talked a lot around the legacy of the black jersey and what it means. You talk about someone like Sean Fitzpatrick, he probably set the All Blacks jersey and the legacy alight with what he did.
“So are we scared of failure? No. But do we embrace the legacy and what we want to achieve? Yes, and we get excited by that, we walk towards it.”
Outside back Ioane, who is playing in his second World Cup, echoed his assistant coach’s sentiments, saying his mindset was to embrace the positive energy and excitement about what lay ahead.
“Exactly what Jase has touched on, we aren’t ever scared to lose,” Ioane said. “And if there’s any questions around our belief, that’s unwavering because we know what we have in this group.
“So for myself the fear of losing doesn’t ever cross my mind… just the energy we have in this group, we thrive off one another and that is motivation enough. We don’t like to have a glass-half-empty view on things.”
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Like Retallick and Whitelock, scrum-half Smith will round out his Test career whenever it is the All Blacks depart France. For the veteran No. 9, that could yet be as a two-time World Cup winner, a title that would sit well with a player who has been one of his generation’s all-time great halfbacks.
Smith has nearly seen it all in his time with the All Blacks, and after last year’s lacklustre season, which almost cost Foster his job, also said he embraces the excitement, rather than any hypothetical criticism or negative “tag” the team might be slugged with should they lose.
“My energy is pushed to more the opportunity that’s in front of us, the excitement of what we can control as a group,” Smith told reporters. “If you’re held down by the weight of the past, you won’t be able to do anything, you won’t be able to play well; you’ll be too scared to do anything, to try things, to trust your instincts.
“Being free, being energised with intent, and there’s plenty of intent and want this weekend, so I don’t think there’s the burden or the statistics or the weight on us like that. It’s a final at a World Cup for us, and we are ready to go.”
Ryan confirmed prop Tyrel Lomax would be available for selection having gotten through Tuesday’s training successfully, meaning the All Blacks will have both first-choice front-rowers back in action for the first time since they were walloped by the Springboks at Twickenham in August.
There are expected to be few surprises in the All Blacks line-up with Scott Barrett tipped to pair up with Retallick in the second-row, and Mark Telea expected to hold off Leicester Fainga’anuku on the left wing.
The All Blacks will name their team on Thursday evening [CET].
Asked about last year’s 2-1 series loss to Ireland, which came on home soil after the All Blacks were beaten in the second and third Test in Dunedin and Wellington respectively, Smith also played down revenge as a motivating force.
“Last year matters in the sense of taking the learnings but I believe we’re a totally different team to July last year,” he said.
“We got new coaches and, as a group, that series really galvanised us. I can’t wait to see what happens.”