New Zealand coach has great respect for Canada’s men’s rugby captain

All Blacks are getting ready for the World Cup spotlight after a lengthy 11-day layoff

Remember the All Blacks?

Black jerseys, black shorts, black socks, black mood on a rugby field? The Rugby World Cup holders?

It’s been easy to forget them because since they last had the spotlight — that opening weekend blockbuster against archrival South Africa — so much has happened: Poolmates Italy and Namibia have played twice, the Springboks have played a second game, Uruguay has upset Fiji and Japan has humbled Ireland, Wales and Australia thrilled, and there’s been a slew of player suspensions.

By the time New Zealand face Canada on Wednesday in Oita, Japan, it will have been 11 days since they beat South Africa 23-13 in Yokohama.

The All Blacks don’t begrudge having the longest break — along with France — in the pool stage. They were grateful after the battering from the Springboks to decompress and head to Beppu, a hot springs resort on the southern island of Kyushu.

It didn’t take them long to get back into gear for the first of two games in five days; after Canada there’s Namibia on Sunday back in Tokyo.

With the short turnaround in mind, New Zealand made 11 changes to the starting XV. If anything, the11-day gap has served only to build up the anticipation of a first World Cup appearance for six of the 23, and whet the appetite of the rest.

They are expected to win well. They’ve never lost to Canada in five previous meetings, three at the World Cup. And they’re meeting for the first time since the 2011 World Cup, where New Zealand won a home match 79-15. But the team is determined to impress, because they and their fans demand nothing less.

“We want to go in and have a crack,” said Canadian coach Kingsley Jones. “We’ve got some tries in us, so we’re not afraid to have a go. But of course we’ve got to play in the right areas. We believe we’ve got a game that can cause New Zealand some concern.”

The All Blacks expect Canada to be primed, and wised up thanks to special adviser Graham Henry, coach of the All Blacks when they won the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

“Canada probably aren’t the strength they have been in the past, but what they are is a very proud team, a very proud nation and they’re led by a very, very good rugby player, Tyler Ardron,” says Henry’s former assistant and successor, New Zealand coach Steve Hansen. “He’s established himself as good as anyone in Super Rugby and they’ll play with a lot of pride . ... That means we need to impose ourselves on the game from the very start.”