NZ plots downfall of opponents in isolation
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: All Blacks head coach Ian Foster is not allowing the COVID-19 pandemic to scupper his plans of getting New Zealand back to the top in world rugby.
All major tournaments are currently suspended, and the July international window could also be under threat if the pandemic escalates.
The All Blacks face Scotland and Wales in July with the Rugby Championship set to follow in August in September.
Despite the uncertain future of the game in the coming months, Foster is still going ahead with his planning so that the All Blacks can hit the ground running when the world is back on its feet.
“I had a call with the coaches yesterday [Wednesday]. We’re getting into a certain way of talking to each other, using video, and we’re going to use this time to develop our plans for what’s coming,” Foster told Radio Sport.
“We don’t know when it’s going to come but that’s really irrelevant right now.
🚨 UPDATE | From @SuperRugbyNZ teams going into isolation to the implications on Rugby World Cup 2023 qualifying, we have the latest updates from around the rugby world.
READ ➡️ https://t.co/YQgs1F8RT5 pic.twitter.com/ZG0DdtXB15
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) March 18, 2020
What’s important is that we give ourselves some short-term tasks that are meaningful and get stuck into it.
“I think the keys are we’ve just got to find ways to stay connected when this virus is trying to pull us apart.”
With players in self-isolation, it will be hard to get a clear plan of action across to everyone as normal training regimes are suspended.
“They’re the same as everyone else,” said Foster.
“It’s when sports and society just become one; we’re not different to anyone else and everyone is concerned. Speaking to some of the players recently, it’s hard to go in and train when you don’t know what’s happening. But at the end of the day we’ve got to set ourselves short term targets.
“The minute we start to think too far in the future, that’s when we can start to catastrophise things.
“So right now you just have to deal with your circumstance and if you can’t do what you normally do you have to find a different way to get something out of each day.”
Radio Sport & Stuff
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