All roads lead to Rome for young ABS
It requires a 30 minute walk from the front steps of the All Blacks’ hotel in central Rome to get a sighter on the Coliseum, the giant amphitheatre that, among other things, once hosted fights between gladiators.
Not everyone is piqued by history, but even the most beer-andchips orientated tourist would have to be impressed by the monstrous structure that was once filled by around 60,000 Romans who sat drinking and eating as men were forced to engage in deadly battles.
As the All Blacks wandered around the city they may have reflected on the courage of those fighters who contributed to such appalling scenes.
Sport is not combat, because although athletes risk injury there will still be a hot meal and bed waiting at the end of their working shift.
At times, however, it’s difficult not to draw comparisons between the two. Nutrition and sports science mean rugby is becoming more violent; the players are getting bigger and more powerful and, inevitably, some collisions will cause cartilages or bones to surrender.
Already the All Blacks have suffered injuries on this northern tour, with George Moala out with a damaged elbow, and Ryan Crotty unavailable until the final match against France because of a pulled hamstring.
Both were hurt in the 40-29 loss to Ireland in Chicago last week, which put an end to the All Blacks’ 18-match winning streak.
The test against Italy at Stadio Olimpico on Sunday morning (3am NZT) is a chance to start again and although there is a B-team look to this All Blacks side, the individuals involved have much to prove.
For some it will be their only start of the tour, with the selectors expected to start their top team in the remaining fixtures against Ireland and France.
So for Steven Luatua, Elliot Dixon, Scott Barrett, Patrick Tuipulotu, Tawera Kerr-barlow and Damian Mckenzie it may be a case of all or nothing against Italy, a side led by outstanding No 8 Sergio Parisse.
Fullback Mckenzie has had to be patient, and must take his chance. Despite a fine Super Rugby campaign with the Chiefs, the All Blacks selectors have elected to use him just the once, as a replacement against Argentina in Buenos Aires.
Now he finally gets his first start against an Italian team expected to provide through their forwards.
‘‘Test rugby is different than Super, you don’t have as much time and you have to control the football,’’ Hansen said in reference to Mckenzie. crunch
‘‘It is a big work-on for him. Even in the NZ Maori game the other day he had three runs and turned the ball over twice, so will be looking for him to look after the ball in contact.
‘‘He is not a big man, we all know that, but he has got other attributes that make him an international quality player. He has got to adjust to the speed of the game and use those qualities to his advantage.’’
Former All Blacks captain Graham Mourie once gave a speech before a game late on a northern tour in the late 1970s, suggesting the players had nothing to lose by giving it all; that if they suffered an injury they could do so in the knowledge they could spend the New Zealand summer recuperating.
Let’s hope that isn’t necessary for this current team. But some players must give it everything. It could be their last appearance in 2016.