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All Blacks beat Springboks, New Zealand Rugby CEO calls press conference, Ian Foster, Mark Robinson

Under-fire All Blacks coach Ian Foster praised his team and criticized the New Zealand media after a 35-23 triumph over South Africa in The Rugby Championship in Johannesburg.

The second-round victory halted a horror run in which New Zealand lost five of six matches, including three to Ireland and one each to France and South Africa.

Some pre-match media reports claimed a second loss to the Springboks within a week would lead to Foster quitting or being sacked. The victory still might not save his career from him, with New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson calling for an afternoon press conference.

In his post-match interview on field, Foster was asked whether he expected to continue coaching the All Blacks throughout the Rugby Championship.

Foster responded by saying he had “no idea”.

New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson will front the media on Sunday afternoon. Photo: AFPSource: AFP

A South African columnist also labeled the visiting team “Foster’s Impostors”.

“It (media criticism) comes with the job, but it has been a pretty vicious onslaught, particularly from the New Zealand media,” Foster told reporters.

“Calling them ‘popgun selections’ I feel is quite insulting to players who are giving their all for the country. But these times are the best test of character.

“I’m intensely proud of the performance. I could not be more proud. To do that at altitude with the game swinging around — there were times we could have won and times we could have lost.

“It was 0-0 for a long time and you could feel it was a real arm-wrestle, but that is what South Africa are like here.

“You have to bide your time and we wanted to target the second half and tired legs with the way we wanted to play.”

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New Zealand’s flanker and captain Sam Cane (C) holds the ‘Freedom Cup’ after the All Blacks beat the Springboks at Ellis Park. Photo: AFPSource: AFP

All Blacks skipper Sam Cane has also been under constant media fire, with some questioning not only his leadership skills, but whether he has served a starting place.

“Adversity really challenges your character and this group has got plenty of character,” said try-scorer Cane.

“There has never been a question of how much we care or how much we want it,” he added.

Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber said they lost for a sixth time in 15 Tests against the All Blacks at Ellis Park because they failed to reproduce the form that brought a 26-10 win last weekend.

“We did not control the game in the first half, we were not as accurate as last week. So they kept offloading, taking high-risk options, but we did not contain them.

“We did well to come back, but then they controlled the game again until the end. Generally they control the set-pieces and the kicking game. Our kicks were not accurate enough.”

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi said “it does not feel good at all to lose, especially to our great rivals.

“We have been saying all week that the All Blacks just need one moment to click. They really imposed their game on us and they came with a lot of energy today.

“They were very good at the breakdown, they were a little more accurate than us and cleaned us out there. Especially when we were gaining momentum, they were quicker than us to get there.”

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Golf 2022: Nick Faldo breaks down in live TV commentary farewell, CBS, PGA Tour Wyndham Championship scores, result

Golf legend Nick Faldo was reduced to tears and barely able to speak as he signed off on his 16-year career commentary in an emotional live TV segment.

The six-time major winner is leaving CBS and the Golf Channel and plans to focus on running his Montana farm and other business.

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Faldo, 65, was a blubbering mess as he attempted to give his final address sitting alongside fellow CBS analysts Jim Nantz, Ian Baker-Finch and Frank Nobilo after the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club

“I blew it,” he said, struggling to compose himself. “I was already…”

Faldo wept before finally stringing an emotional sentence together: “So I was on a boat in Ireland… They gave me a call and said, ‘How would you like to sit next to Jim Nantz?’ I literally fell out of the boat. I really did. That was 2006, and here we are, 16 years later.

Australian Baker-Finch and New Zealander Nobilo paid tribute to Faldo before the Englishman uttered an emotional final line.

“I’m a single child and at 65 I found three brothers, thank you,” he said.

Meanwhile South Korean Kim Joo-hyung fired a stunning nine-under par 61 to win the Wyndham Championship, his first US PGA Tour title, and secure his spot in the season-ending playoffs.

Kim’s outstanding effort at Sedgefield Country Club, where the 20-year-old played the first nine holes of the final round in eight-under, capped a remarkable week that opened with his quadruple bogey eight at the first hole on Thursday.

“It’s definitely a week I’ll remember forever,” Kim said after his 20-under total of 260 gave him a five-stroke victory over fellow South Korean Im Sung-jae and American John Huh.

“I can’t believe it — I’m speechless right now,” Kim said, his emotions finally showing after a round in which he looked in supreme control.

“I’ve worked really hard to get to this point,” he said, his voice cracking. “Just walking off that 18th green, just thinking about the behind the scenes work.

“It was a hard day. I didn’t know golf was this stressful,” added the player who goes by the nickname Tom in a nod to his childhood love of Thomas the Tank Engine.

Cameron Percy was the best-placed Australian, finishing tied eighth, nine shots off the lead.

Originally published as Golf legend Nick Faldo reduced to blubbering mess in stirring live TV farewell

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Nick Faldo breaks down in live TV commentary farewell, CBS, PGA Tour Wyndham Championship scores, result

Golf legend Nick Faldo was reduced to tears and barely able to speak as he signed off on his 16-year career commentary in an emotional live TV segment.

The six-time major winner is leaving CBS and the Golf Channel and plans to focus on running his Montana farm and other business.

Faldo, 65, was a blubbering mess as he attempted to give his final address sitting alongside fellow CBS analysts Jim Nantz, Ian Baker-Finch and Frank Nobilo after the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club

“I blew it,” he said, struggling to compose himself. “I was already…”

Watch LIVE coverage from The USPGA Tour with Fox Sports on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

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Faldo wept before finally stringing an emotional sentence together: “So I was on a boat in Ireland… They gave me a call and said, ‘How would you like to sit next to Jim Nantz?’ I literally fell out of the boat. I really did. That was 2006, and here we are, 16 years later.”

Australian Baker-Finch and New Zealander Nobilo paid tribute to Faldo before the Englishman uttered an emotional final line.

“I’m a single child and at 65 I found three brothers, thank you,” he said.

Meanwhile South Korean Kim Joo-hyung fired a stunning nine-under par 61 to win the Wyndham Championship, his first US PGA Tour title, and secure his spot in the season-ending playoffs.

Kim’s outstanding effort at Sedgefield Country Club, where the 20-year-old played the first nine holes of the final round in eight-under, capped a remarkable week that opened with his quadruple bogey eight at the first hole on Thursday.

“It’s definitely a week I’ll remember forever,” Kim said after his 20-under total of 260 gave him a five-stroke victory over fellow South Korean Im Sung-jae and American John Huh.

“I can’t believe it — I’m speechless right now,” Kim said, his emotions finally showing after a round in which he looked in supreme control.

“I’ve worked really hard to get to this point,” he said, his voice cracking. “Just walking off that 18th green, just thinking about the behind the scenes work.

“It was a hard day. I didn’t know golf was this stressful,” added the player who goes by the nickname Tom in a nod to his childhood love of Thomas the Tank Engine.

Cameron Percy was the best-placed Australian, finishing tied eighth, nine shots off the lead.

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All Blacks lose to Springboks, Ian Foster, score, result, highlights

Under-fire New Zealand rugby coach Ian Foster said he believed his All Blacks team took “a step up” despite losing 26-10 to South Africa in the Rugby Championship opener in Mbombela on Saturday.

Foster, under pressure after the All Blacks lost a home series against Ireland last month, said there had been encouraging aspects in the latest performance.

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The New Zealand team performs the Haka as South African players look on at the Mbombela Stadium in Mbombela on August 6, 2022. Photo: AFPSource: AFP

The loss to the Springboks was the fifth in six matches after three defeats by Ireland and another by France.

Foster has lost nine of 25 matches in charge of the three-time world champions while predecessor Steve Hansen suffered 10 defeats in 107 Tests.

An All Blacks assistant coach during the eight-year reign of Hansen, Foster was a controversial appointment ahead of Canterbury Crusaders coach Scott Robertson.

“It was a step up from our last series,” said Foster.

“The lineout worked well, our maul defense was good and our overall defense was pretty solid but the timing in terms of attack was a bit off.”

Kurt-Lee Arendse of South Africa scores against the All Blacks at Mbombela Stadium on August 06, 2022 in Nelspruit, South Africa. Photo: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

He said a string of penalties conceded by the All Blacks in the first 20 minutes had hurt his team.

“I felt we were not getting the rub of the green in the first 20 minutes, so that put us behind a little.”

He said the third quarter of the match, after the All Blacks were fortunate to trail only 10-3 at half-time, it was critical.

“We had to get back into the game but all the Springboks did carry hard and clean hard and earn a couple of penalties. Good on them, that is their game. It is a pressure game.” Foster acknowledged that the intensity of the match played in front of a passionate sell-out home crowd of 42,367 had affected some of the new players in the touring squad.

“Some of our guys who are here for the first time — that is what you have to go through and experience.”

Ian Foster (C) is under huge pressure after the All Blacks lost three straight matches. Photo: AFPSource: AFP

Foster said that although there was not much time before a second-round match against the Springboks at Ellis Park in Johannesburg next Saturday, he was confident of an improved performance.

“As the game unfolded, a few opportunities opened up. There were some handling errors but we made a few good strides. But we have to provide it next week.”

SuperSport TV analyst and former Springbok captain and hooker John Smit said it had been a “commanding performance” by the home team.

“We won the kicking game and the error game. This is a Springbok team that knows what they do well and they stick to it.”

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Luke Keary World Cup, Ireland, Mal Meninga Kangaroos selections, Tonga, Samoa, Brian To’o, Josh Papalii, Joseph Suaalii, news

Roosters star Luke Keary has put his hand up to play for Ireland in this year’s World Cup — throwing his support behind a raft of NRL stars opting to represent their heritage.

Reports surfaced that Maroons gun Josh Papalii will ply his trade for Samoa, joining Jarome Luai and Brian To’o, while Felise Kaufusi, Siosifa Talakai, Daniel Tupou and Kotoni Staggs are set to represent Tonga.

While Keary may not have been in Meninga’s Kangaroos plans, the 30-year-old has expressed his desire to represent Ireland after being ruled out of the 2017 World Cup with a hip injury.

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“I stuck my hand up to play for Ireland in 2017,” Keary said to the SMH.

“It didn’t eventuate, I had a few [injuries] at the back end of the year. We’ll just see how the next few weeks go but I’ve told the [Irish officials] that I need to tell.

“I’ve always had a connection there since I was a kid. Dad’s family is still over there. I haven’t been over there but you just feel proud whenever I’ve talked about it. It makes me feel good thinking about it.”

Keary welcomed players who wanted to represent their heritage, explaining “it’s great for our game”.

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“It’s going to be a great World Cup with so many great players putting their hands up for their nations of birth or their heritage. I think it’s great for our game,” he said.

Ireland have been drawn in group C, alongside Jamaica, Lebanon and one of the competition’s heavyweights — New Zealand.

The Kiwis boast one of Keary’s Roosters teammates, who plays at fullback for his national team, Joseph Manu.

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Meanwhile, young gun Joseph Suaalii will be attending the World Cup — whether it be for the Kangaroos or Samoa.

The 19-year-old could be set for a potential starting berth with Samoa should he choose to go down that path, but the young gun outlined his preference.

“I honestly haven’t thought about it too much but I want to be there playing at the World Cup,” Suaalii said.

“I’m trying to make that Australian team and if I’m lucky enough I’ll make that Samoan team as well.

“If I get picked for either of them it would be an honour. If I’m playing at the World Cup I’ll be happy.”

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