And they need to come back from one of their lowest points.
It was not just the 23-12 loss to Ireland, the touring side’s first win over the All Blacks in New Zealand.
The All Blacks drop to fourth on the world rankings — the lowest they have been since the rankings began in 2003.
They have now lost three of their past four tests, and have lost their most recent match against each of the three teams ahead of them.
They slumped to their worst loss in Dunedin — the 23-12 defeat against Ireland usurping the eight-point win Australia claimed at Carisbrook in 2001 — and their first at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Not since 1994 have the All Blacks lost by more at home, thrashed 22-8 by France in Christchurch.
It was a stark contrast to the 42-19 win in the series opener at Eden Park.
With a series decider in five days and, perhaps more importantly, the World Cup just 14 months away, this team needs to turn that around very quickly.
"We didn’t turn up with the same intensity we did seven days ago," Foster said.
"The fact is we showed character, we showed we’ve got it. We’ve just got to do it for 80 minutes against a quality team.
"I said at the start, this series was vital for us. It gives us a really good chance to see where we’re at.
"We know the level of intensity we got to last week. We certainly got diverted by that with a few things that happened in this game. So we’ve got to deal with that."
Three cards, including a red to Angus Ta’avao, hamstrung an All Black team that found itself clinging on deep inside its 22m for virtually the entire first half.
That was compounded when Ardie Savea, who had left the field to allow a front row replacement for Ta’avao, was unable to return.
Dalton Papalii was already off the field, as the player who made way for Ta’avao’s entry when Ofa Tu’ungafasi was yellow-carded.
Foster said the All Blacks had thought they were able to choose between Papalii and Savea, in terms of who came back, and wanted Savea back on the field.
The team had sought clarification on the ruling from World Rugby.
It is another decision that will stack up against the increasingly under-fire coach.
While the All Blacks did well to withstand Ireland’s barrage, and score on halftime to reduce the deficit to 10-7, they were unable to turn that into a momentum swing after the break.
Mistakes plagued the All Blacks, and their handling was shocking considering they were in a dry stadium.
"That try at the start of the second half really hurt us," Foster said.
"Trying to play catch up with 14 men is never easy against a really well organised defensive team.
"There was an unacceptable amount of errors in terms of handling stuff.
"But a lot of that was due to pressure and trying to force things, trying to create space against what Ireland was doing.
"We were our own worst enemy in that second half. We’ve got to be better. We can still win with 14. We’ve just got to trust ourselves and trust what we do.
"Ultimately we’ve got to go back and back our own skill level and that’s something we’ve got to work hard on."
Foster acknowledged the effects of Ireland’s defence and felt younger players in the team would need to adjust to that.
"They did that really and they pressured our skill sets. Again that’s what test rugby is about. We were a bit off in terms of dealing with that.
"I think it’ll be a bit of an eye-opener for a few newer players to feel that sort of tension and pressure, trying to force things, one man down against a quality team."
