A day after a warm Christchurch winter’s day allowed Ian Foster to enjoy lunch at a seaside restaurant and a successful hunt for three bargain vinyl records, the All Blacks coach has named a side which perhaps reflects his sunnier disposition.
Certainly, he is unlikely to have been given the opportunity to resume his role in the Garden City had the All Blacks not come back to beat South Africa at Ellis Park recently. That win is perhaps an indication as to why he has settled for the status quo for the Test against Argentina at Orangetheory Stadium on Saturday.
Beauden Barrett is the only absentee due to his neck injury suffered in a ruck cleanout drill near the end of training on Tuesday.
The stiffness in Barrett’s neck – previously hurt in his horrendous fall against the Boks at Mbombela Stadium – is not considered serious, with Foster saying the Blues star is a possibility for the second Test against the Pumas in Hamilton a week on Saturday.
"At the moment I haven’t heard anything to say he’s not going to be available next week," Foster said on Thursday.
"We’ll see what unfolds."
Debutant Stephen Perofeta is on the reserves bench as Barrett’s replacement, with Foster hinting Perofeta would have been given a chance at Waikato Stadium anyway.
It means Richie Mo’unga will once again get the opportunity to lead the attack a fortnight after he did it so well against the Boks in his first start since November last year.
Given Mo’unga’s form and the time and space he created for the occasionally formidable strike weapons outside him at Ellis Park, plus Foster rewarding the squad involved in one of the most impressive Tests of his reign, it’s difficult to imagine him dropping Mo’unga to the bench had Barrett been available.
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Either way, it’s another chance for the Crusaders playmaker to impress and cement himself in a pivotal position which doesn’t seem settled quite yet. It should be remembered too that another victory would be significant as the All Blacks have yet to win two Tests in a row this year.
"Very good," Foster said of Mo’unga’s performance in the 35-23 win. "I thought his control was good. There were a few areas that he wants to improve his accuracy in but, overall, he was confident and he gave us some of those territory moments that we just talked about."
He said Perofeta’s selection was a reward for his continued development after initially being named for the Ireland series.
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"He’s confident – he’s happy to talk in front of the group. But the main thing is he’s leading by learning on the park. He’s learning 10 and 15 so it’s a double role to learn but he’s done it particularly well."
Perofeta impressed with the Blues this year – particularly with his broken field running - and may be a threat late in the game against a tiring Pumas defence.
Foster said he expected Argentina to attack with more ambition and confidence than they have in the past. If so, it may play into the hands of an All Blacks side which still appears more dangerous on the counter than attacking off first phase.
This Test will be the first in which assistant coach Joe Schmidt will be involved since his recent promotion after the review of the South African trip. That review of a run of poor performances broken in Johannesburg led to Foster’s reprieve.
When Schmidt's name is mentioned to the players, all to a man mention his attention to detail. Schmidt was hands-on in Auckland before the first Ireland Test due to Covid knocking Foster, and others, out of action. He then slipped back into his selectorial role before what in hindsight appears an inevitable rise in importance.
"Good, really good," Foster said of his promoted assistant. “It’s been neat having him involved. It’s a been a start-slow-and-build strategy… it’s been great seeing him fit in.
"He stands in a line to challenge me as all the coaches and leaders are always questioning and challenging what we’re doing."
Foster added that new forwards coach Jason Ryan, who began his role in South Africa, had taken up a role as a selector alongside Foster and Schmidt.
"It was always the intention but it was one step at a time…" Foster said. "It’s really important that Joe and I have a strong forwards’ selection voice in our group so it was a natural progression, really."
This is the first Test in Christchurch since 2016, and Foster appears keen to make the most of it, hence his jaunt around the city a day earlier. Including Mo’unga, there are eight Crusaders in the match-day 23, a continuity of selection that will be popular in these parts.
Certainly, Foster said he had felt the love during his mid-week day off.
"I had a seafood chowder at the Governors Bay pub yesterday and they were very excited to see me and then I bought three second-hand vinyls at Penny Lane on Colombo Street and [the owner] said I was the first All Black coach to visit. So, two out of two."
All Blacks v Argentina, Saturday August 27, Christchurch, 7:45pm
All Blacks: 15. Jordie Barrett, 14. Will Jordan, 13. Rieko Ioane, 12. David Havili, 11. Caleb Clarke, 10. Richie Mo'unga, 9. Aaron Smith, 8. Ardie Savea, 7. Sam Cane [C], 6. Shannon Frizell, 5. Scott Barrett, 4. Sam Whitelock, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 2. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 1. Ethan de Groot
Reserves: 16. Codie Taylor, 17. George Bower, 18. Fletcher Newell, 19. Tupou Vaa’i, 20. Akira Ioane, 21. Finlay Christie, 22. Stephen Perofeta*, 23. Quinn Tupaea
Argentina: 15. Juan Cruz Mallía, 14. Emiliano Boffelli, 13. Matias Moroni, 12. Matias Orlando, 11. Lucio Cinti, 10. Santiago Carreras, 9. Gonzalo Bertranou, 8. Pablo Matera, 7. Marcos Kremer, 6. Juan Martín González Samso, 5. Tomás Lavanini, 4. Matías Alemanno, 3. Joel Sclavi, 2. Julian Montoya [C], 1. Thomas Gallo
Reserves: 16. Santiago Socino, 17. Mayco Vivas, 18. Eduardo Bello, 19. Guido Petti, 20. Santiago Grondona, 21. Tomas Cubeli, 22. Tomas Albornoz, 23. Santiago Cordero
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