ABs begin serious World Cup build-up
The first major step in the All Blacks’ World Cup build-up is almost upon them.
Tomorrow morning’s (NZ time) Rugby Championship opener against Argentina in Buenos Aires marks the first of five tests the All Blacks will play before their bid for three consecutive world crowns begins in September.
That’s just 400 minutes of rugby for his troops before they open the Japan tournament with an all-important pool match against South Africa in Yokohama.
It’s hardly classified information All Blacks coach Steve Hansen isn’t prioritising retaining the Rugby Championship, but is rather focusing on retaining the Bledisloe Cup.
Of course, the shortened Rugby Championship will be vital for the All Blacks to hone their triple-threat game, something they didn’t accomplish last year, and to assist Hansen in finalising his 31-man World Cup squad.
‘‘There’s critical things in our game, which I’m not going to go into because no point telling everybody, and you can’t have 20 critical things. You can have four or five, and the other things are important,’’ Hansen said when discussing what he wants to see from his team in Buenos Aires.
‘‘At the beginning of any season, the focus has got to be on those critical things. Skill execution is one of those, having clarity of what you’re actually doing is another one. We want to see players cope with the mental fortitude. Argentina is not an easy place to play, and they’re a big, physical, strong attacking side.’’
Hansen and his assistants will especially be keen to see how the five uncapped players named to play Argentina cope on debut.
Crusaders wing Sevu Reece, who demanded selection after chalking up a competition-high 15 tries during his team’s run to a third straight Super Rugby title, won’t have a chance to soak up the atmosphere on the bench before being injected.
He will start on the right wing, with Hansen stating tomorrow’s match was the
‘‘Argentina is not an easy place to play, and they’re a big, physical, strong attacking side.’’
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen
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The 27-year-old will pull on the black No 7 jersey for the first time since he broke his neck playing against the Springboks last October. If his return to Super Rugby is anything to go by, the stand-in skipper won’t miss a beat.
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Anyone who watched the Super Rugby final a fortnight ago will know what the Pumas’ skipper is capable of. The 26-year-old loose forward isn’t just a menace at the breakdown, he’s got the ball skills of a back. logical one to find out if he can take the next step.
Fiji-born Reece, Atu Moli, Luke Jacobson, Josh Ioane and Braydon Ennor have been given an opportunity to earn their first cap in part because the majority of the Crusaders’ contingent remained in New Zealand to prepare for next weekend’s test against South Africa in Wellington.
‘‘History tells us the first test we play is always hard work, because you’ve got five coaches who have been watching footy and are excited about everything they know and want to implement. And then you’ve got a group players who are coming from five different franchises, and you try and cram it into a really short period of time,’’ Hansen said.
‘‘The proof of any pudding is in the eating of it, and you’ve got to take your first mouthful. Come Saturday, we will take a big mouthful and hopefully it tastes good.’’
The All Blacks have never tasted defeat against Argentina, with the 21-21 draw between the sides in 1985 the closest the Pumas have come to toppling them.
Sensing history, no doubt because the All Blacks are missing a ton of gun powder, and the Pumas’ starting side is all but the Jaguares’ side which played together all season, an Argentinian journalist asked Hansen if this was the home side’s best chance to knock over the All Blacks.
Hansen didn’t offer a yes or no, but made it clear there is not a chance his side will underestimate their opponents.
‘‘They’ve got a big advantage in the fact that most of their squad has been playing together all year,’’ he said. ‘‘I think what’s strengthened their game is their mindset to want to play the game, their backs have been extraordinary. They’re combining their big men now with their skill and flair in the backs, and I think that makes them a lot more dangerous than before.’’