It’s ‘do or die’ for angry ABS

For Sam Cane and his All Blacks right now there is nowhere to hide, nowhere to take refuge from the storm, both figurative and literal, that is raging around them in New Zealand’s capital this week.

It’s why when the All Blacks captain fronted the media after a training session in Wellington’s heavy rain yesterday he was prepared to not only accept the tight spot they find themselves in, but embrace it as a moment with World Cup-type ramifications for a team giving every impression of teetering on the brink.

The All Blacks just lost their first ever test to Ireland on Kiwi soil with a dispiriting, and serieslevelling, 23-12 defeat in Dunedin last Saturday. That means they have now dropped three of their last four matches, and in accordance have slumped to No 4 on the world rankings. The mighty haven’t just fallen, they are tumbling.

It’s a pressure point for the skipper and his team, but it’s one Cane believes mimics the intensity and stakes of a big World Cup playoff game, and by translation one that can have positive spinoffs for the All Blacks as they build towards France 2023.

‘‘Absolutely, the situation is not what we wanted, but now we look at it and embrace it,’’ a dripping Cane told a media posse sideline at the Hutt Recreation Ground. ‘‘It’s a good challenge for us. It’s do or die, it’s just like World Cup stuff, so we’re looking forward to it.’’

And acknowledging their situation, embracing the pressure, was a key part of the response brewing this week, reckoned the skipper.

‘‘The drive is massive,’’ he said. ‘‘We were hugely disappointed with what we dished out on Saturday. We need to be so much better. Our drive is the fact we have pride in the jersey, we’re not happy with what we put out and we’ll be working hard to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

‘‘It’s about channelling our emotions the right way. We’re angry, disappointed in ourselves, but there’s no point dwelling on that performance. We have to pick ourselves up and shift the mindset, highlighting the things we need to get better at.’’

It’s nothing senior All Blacks haven’t been through before, with Cane acknowledging distinct parallels with the 2017 British and Irish Lions series, which did not exactly end on a high note (with the 15-15 draw in Auckland).

‘‘There are similarities . . . the second test red card, all on the line, and it’s a great position to be in. It’s really going to test us, and we’ll see what we’re made of.’’

Cane conceded a repeat of Dunedin’s fallibilities, never mind the procession of cards and replacements fiasco, would be potentially fatal.

‘‘Rugby can be a simple game. We had 27 unforced errors, and that’s just ridiculous. Our discipline also let us down massively. A lot can change in rugby in seven days, and we have to fix that up. But the belief is strong, the group is tight, and we’re together.’’

Even the wet weather, tipped to continue through Saturday, allowed them to put a premium on skills in training, with a vibe in the camp that was ‘‘focused and determined’’.

‘‘When we step on the park we’re out here to work, and there are a lot of little rugby conversations going on during the week. Pretty much no stone is left unturned,’’ the captain said.

Less concerning, he felt, was the rankings drop. ‘‘It’s certainly a goal to get back to world No 1, but we realise the process in doing that is performing consistently, and at the moment we haven’t been doing that.’’

In terms of Wayne Barnes having the whistle for the decider, the skipper had no qualms about that appointment, with the ghosts of 2007 banished long ago.

‘‘We have massive respect for Wayne as a referee. He has so much experience, we’re really comfortable with his style, and we’re looking forward to working with him.’’

Cane also partially addressed the supposed Peter O’mahony sledge from late in the Dunedin test. Some media outlets have reported the Irish loose forward told him he was a ‘‘s**t Richie Mccaw’’, though the words were not audible in TV coverage.

‘‘It’s just good rugby banter, all part of the game,’’ said the skipper. ‘‘I don’t mind it. Good stuff.’’

Asked if reports of the exchange had been accurate, Cane flipped the question back on the reporter. That’s when the media manger stepped in to end the interview. Some replies are just best left for on the field.