New Zealand media question future of coaching ticket after Ireland defeat in Dunedin

The All Blacks have now lost four of their last seven meetings with Ireland. 

UNDER PRESSURE: New Zealand head coach Ian Foster during the post-match press conference. ©INPHO/Photosport/Blake Armstrong

The media reaction to the All Black's latest test defeat to Ireland has been largely aimed at the coaching ticket, with increased pressure being heaped on head coach Ian Foster. 

The loss not only sees the side lose to Ireland for the fourth time in seven outings, but it has seen Foster's side demoted to fourth in the world rugby rankings. Ireland now sit in second, behind only France.

Despite the ill-disciplined and largely out-of-sorts performance from the players, Foster has grabbed most of the headlines in New Zealand.

Gregor Paul penned an article in the New Zealand Herald with the headline: "It’s time for change — the All Blacks have lost their way."

Paul saves some praise for the All Black defence, noting that the game would have been an embarrassment only for their desperate, but brilliant efforts in their own 22. 

But that was the only positive. 

He writes: "The All Blacks took one step forward last week, they took at least two if not three back in Dunedin and while their list of faults was long and comprehensive, the nuts and bolts of their demise could be summed up by saying they lacked physicality and imagination.

"The All Blacks were passive and insipid, saved from humiliation only by their miraculous scrambling defence which was brilliant. But the All Blacks can’t survive in the rarefied air of test rugby by spending most of the game on their own goal line and given their recidivist offending in the art of muscling up, it is now increasingly difficult to see how the coaching team can survive."

Richard Knowler of Stuff.co.nz wrote similarly on the standard of performance from the side, citing that it will see coach Foster come under an amount of pressure heading into the third test.

He notes that the head coach should be "prepared to feel the heat for a substandard performance".

Knowler continues: "[They] lost their composure, made handling mistakes as the green machine got into their faces, and were unable to pour on the pressure. The Irish not only had captain and first five-eighth Johnny Sexton calmly calling the plays, but they also had a forward pack that was direct, aggressive and disruptive.

"All the things that are expected of the All Blacks."

The Otago Times looked at the Irish performance as the winning of the game, in which they singled out one Irish player for special praise.

“The marvellous rugby tourists have made history by winning their first test against the All Blacks in New Zealand.

“They delivered a swaggering performance of physicality and drive to win the second test 23-12 and send the series to a potentially thrilling decider in Wellington.

"Ireland captain Sexton. Under an injury cloud during the week, the No 10 was composed and clear-headed.

"He celebrates his 37th birthday in a few days. He deserves to have a big one."