All Blacks boss Ian Foster explains why star winger has been dropped

All Blacks winger Mark Telea and head coach Ian Foster.
Mark Telea was a notable absentee from Ian Foster’s All Blacks 23 to face Ireland in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.
The star winger has been a regular starter for New Zealand in the big matches this year; however, he has been replaced by Lyon-bound speedster Leicester Fainga’anuku for the crunch clash.
Mark Telea’s absence
After naming his team, Foster explained that Telea was not included after breaking team protocol, which ruled him out of selection.
“Yeah, he breached the protocol,” Foster said.
“Nothing major, but enough to keep him out of selection for this week. He has trained well, it happens. It is what it is. For us, it’s pretty clean-cut. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. We have dealt with it as a team and moved on.”
Foster was pressed to reveal what Telea’s breach of protocol was but remained tight-lipped, saying, “I am not going to talk about it again. It’s minor.”
Foster believes that the decision speaks volumes of the team and that they could make a call like that.
“I think it says volumes, we believe what we stand for, that speaks volumes for the team when we make that sort of decision,” he said.
Backline cover
Fainga’anuku’s selection was not the only one that would raise a few eyebrows, with Finlay Christie preferred over Cam Roigard on the bench.
Meanwhile, Damian McKenzie has been pressing for a starting role at fly-half and full-back but found a place on the bench for the fixture.
“What would make you think it was discipline? We just felt it was horses for courses for this particular game,” the All Blacks boss said when asked if Roigard’s omission was also because of disciplinary reasons.
“We think Finlay has an edge defensively; I think there will be a lot of action around the ruck defensively.
“We have been delighted with Cam’s form, and in a different type of game, it might have gone slightly differently. But this one here, we have gone for that.”
As for McKenzie, Foster added: “He’s playing well, but like the combinations we are getting. I like that we’ve got a change-up option as the game unfolds, and I think the trio of Richie [Mo’unga], Beauden [Barrett] and Damian is looking [agreeable] at the moment.
“But also really delighted with Richie and Beaudy’s form, so it’s a tough decision, but the great thing is Damian has come in and really put his hand up with his form. It gives us some good impact off that bench.”
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