All Blacks’ family members attacked with knife at Rugby World Cup

Ian Foster, the departing All Blacks coach, disclosed that a man brandishing a knife threatened his wife and kid in Paris during the World Cup.

Foster claimed that around the time of New Zealand’s September opening match against hosts France, his wife Leigh and daughter Michaela were harassed close to the All Blacks hotel in the French capital.

Foster, who resigned as an All Blacks player, had not disclosed the incident involving two members of his family during the Rugby World Cup match that the Springboks won, defeating New Zealand 12-11 in the championship match.

FOSTER REVEALS HARROWING DETAILS OF INCIDENT

“My wife and one of my daughters were involved in an incident in Paris during the first week of the World Cup,” stated Foster, who was succeeded as All Blacks manager by Scott Robertson after the competition.

“In the early evening, a young man brandishing a knife approached Leigh and Michaela as they were making their way to our team hotel from a nearby train station,” the statement read.

“There seemed to be something influencing the man.”

Foster claimed that the man fled after his family was able to diffuse the situation “calmly but firmly.”

He also said that the local authorities and the All Blacks’ security staff were later notified.

Foster stated, “As a family, we would like to emphasize that this did not detract in any way from our overall positive time in France.”

After competing for her native New Zealand in the FIFA World Cup, his daughter was in France to support her father.