To bring free-scoring All Blacks to a halt
land Provincial Barbarians XV in Whangarei.
“We expected a few less numbers than what we’ve had,” Farrell added. “We have been able to create more advancement with our plan, going forward. To get a few more half-backs in and organisation stuff with the ball in hand has been great for us.
“The intensity was there, as you would expect, and the competition was there, as you would expect. When you get the calibre of player that we’ve had come in, and everyone is trying to show how much homework they’ve done with the new systems, then you see people come to the forefront and the leadership coming out in people.
“What tends to happen in this type of environment, because of the class of player you are working with, they tend to get it very quickly.
“We’ve got a few ideas and combinations in our head already [for next week]. We would be a fool not to use the bulk of the players who have been training over the past couple of weeks because they have got a head start, but that’s not to say that one or two of the other guys can’t sneak their way in there.
“What’s great about this environment is there is no time to think about anything else other than the task in hand.
“We are dealing with the best of the best.” New Zealand rugby has suffered two fatalities in the space of eight days.
Amateur Bevan Moody died yesterday after suffering a cardiac arrest during a club match.
The 22-year-old had been in an induced coma after collapsing on Saturday during a match between his Waitohi club side and Nelson Club on New Zealand’s South Island.
Moody also played for the Marlborough representative team and had tried out for the New Zealand under-20 team.
His death came a day after the funeral of 19-year-old Daniel Baldwin, who died on 17 May after suffering a head injury during a match in Wellington. England will make precautionary checks on Ben Stokes’ left knee but captain Eoin Morgan is confident they will find nothing to take the shine off a convincing victory over South Africa in the Royal London Series opener.
Morgan’s 107 in 93 balls powered his side to 339 for six, a record one-day score at Headingley and enough for a 72-run win as the tourists were 267 all out in 45 overs.
Key all-rounder Stokes left the field with a sore left knee, having had an operation on the same area a year ago.
Stokes had only bowled two overs at the time and Morgan decided to keep it that way even when he returned to the field ready to resume duties. Morgan appeared relaxed about his prize asset’s fitness but Stokes’ importance to the side and history of injuries invite caution ahead of next month’s home Champions Trophy.
“When he came back on the field he was fit to bowl, but we managed to take a wicket when he came back on and I felt bowling him again, even though he was fit, wasn’t worth the risk,” said Morgan.
“It doesn’t even have swelling, no significant signs of an injury, but we’ll assess that in the next couple of days. He did the right thing, went off to get checked, because knees can leave you out for up to six months or a year if something significant does happen.
“He came back on with the green light to bowl and was running around, but he understands. He’s an experienced campaigner.”