Players must also take responsibility for results, says Whitelock

Wily All Black lock Sam Whitelock has put his hand up on behalf of the player group, emphasising that Ian Foster cannot be solely blamed for the team’s recent troubles. 

Foster has been under fire since the Irish series loss and things were not helped by a 26-10 loss to the Springboks a couple of weeks later in Nelspruit before the All Blacks pulled it together for a good win at Ellis Park. 

Foster has since been retained by New Zealand Rugby and will take his side to France to contest the Webb Ellis trophy next year. 

Whitelock shed light on his team’s main focus. 

“We’re always looking to get better,” he said. 

“That’s always been the focus, and it will always be. I think if we ever lose sight of that then it’ll be a slippery slope. 

“And that’s right across the board, so it doesn’t matter what role you have in this environment, you’re always looking to get better. 

“That’s the same if you’re a head coach or Fletcher Newell being the latest All Black.” 

Speaking in defence of Foster, Whitelock was adamant that blame for the poor run of results must be shared. 

“It’s actually on all of us, it’s never just one person,” he said.