Ian Foster. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Ian Foster insists he is relaxed and full of belief that the All Blacks can upset Ireland in Sunday morning's World Cup quarter-final in Paris.
Speaking on the eve of his biggest - and possibly last - match as All Blacks coach, Foster said his team was ready to silence the Irish fans in France.
"I am always relaxed when we've prepared well and we have. I enjoyed watching the players prepare this week, they're keen. We know what's ahead of us, I can't wait."
Ian Foster Coach of the All Blacks Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Foster has the worst record of any All Blacks coach (to have been in charge for more than 15 games) in history.
However, he was adamant he could guide them past Ireland and into the World Cup semi-finals.
"I have full belief in this group. If you look at the quarter-finals, there are going to be four quality teams that won't be in the semi-finals and we're pretty determined that we're not one of them.
"We know it is going to be a massive game. The only way to go into these games is believing in your game and who you are, and we do.
He said he had many reasons to be confident.
"The work they have done, the work we have put in in the last three or four months really. We've always known coming to this World Cup that assuming we did the business in the pool, it was most likely Ireland or South Africa. Either way you have got a monster quarter-final. It's not like this is a surprise. Mentally we have been ready for it and mentally we know that we have to prepare a week at a time."
Foster and the All Blacks coaches have opted for a rest and rotation policy during the tournament, in contrast to Ireland who have largely picked the same side week-in week-out.
Foster did not think one approach was clearly better than the other, but hoped the quarter-final would be played at pace.
"Everyone has different strategies, everyone has had different draws. We had a number of players unavailable for the first few games of the tournament which changed our strategy a bit. I think they are used to that.
"They (Ireland) have been a very set combination for the past two or three years at club and international level and the journeys each of us has taken the last three or four years to get here with the world situation, quarantines, travel, that changed everything.
"What we do know is that we are fit and strong. In some cases we have got guys who have not played enough. There's strengths and weaknesses for both the strategies. The good thing about play-off rugby is that it doesn't matter. People just want to get out there and play.
"We know it is going to be a full-on game. Hopefully a fast game. We'd like that. If it tests everyone's legs, we will be happy with that."
Foster said he had already delivered his final thoughts to his players and he was at ease with how his team had prepared for Sunday's sudden-death test.
"I've probably already given them my final message: really, I just think trust themselves, trust the work we've done as a group and trust the work we've done on the field and off the field and go out and express yourself.
"Quarter-finals, we don't want to die wondering, you don't want to go in your shell, you still want to play our game and it's important to us that we do."
Whether Foster's All Blacks career dies or lives to see another day will be determined at a sold-out Stade de France on Sunday morning.
