Foster fires broadside at match officials

Under fire All Black coach Ian Foster has tried to turn the attention away from his own prospects of keeping his job and has instead fired a salvo at the officials after Kurt-Lee Arendse’s red card in the test match this past weekend.

Arendse was rightfully sent off for a clash in the air with Beauden Barrett and was stretchered off in the process, but it didn’t stop Foster from calling it the “worst I have seen” and launching a broadside on the winger and the officials in the process.

Some cynics may say it is the best way to keep from all the mounting questions on his own job performance - especially since he has lost five out of his last six games - but Foster was adamant that the officials should have given his side more protection on the day.

He will now send clips and concerns to World Rugby and hope that it influences the situation ahead of the second test at Ellis Park.

Foster’s comments come after his side badly lost the aerial battle in Mbombela and it wouldn’t be unfair to say more protection would suit the All Blacks this week.

Plus, while Arendse’s challenge was bad, it was dealt with on the field with a red card - there isn’t much more that officials can do. Foster’s comments therefore are likely to be more to influence next weekend’s match and the aerial battle than anything else.

“I’ve got massive concerns, it is probably the worst I’ve seen,” Foster said on Sunday, “I’m pretty disappointed because it happened in the 10th minute as well and they deemed that as fair. That is part of the problem with the game, in a lineout if you throw a jumper onto their lineout with an arm up it is considered obstruction.

“Whereas it is becoming a bit of a free-for-all with jumpers being able to jump and say they are competing. It needs to be addressed.

“We’ve got to make sure that we protect guys in the air and if you are going to compete you should at least show a couple of hands up.”

Foster revealed his hand when he said he expected “more protection” than the side received at Mbombela.

“Well it is, but it becomes a bit easier if there is a wide interpretation of what you can do underneath it. We will look at our responsibilities in the air, how we catch because we know it si coming but at the same side we do expect more protection than we got last night.”

Beauden Barrett did go for a neck scan after the clash but was cleared of both a concussion and neck injury, while Arendse’s status is unknown at the moment and will probably only be revealed on Monday.

But it smacks of a desperate attempt by an under fire coach to influence the next match, one which is likely to determine his job.