Taylor a timely tonic for All Blacks

ROOKIE first five-eighth Tom Taylor may have aided the All Blacks’ Bledisloe Cup cause before a ball is kicked in anger.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen always seems to find a way to bring his team back to earth, a great attribute when you coach a team that rarely loses and usually excels.

Hence this week has been just another for the All Blacks as they put a 47-29 thrashing of the Wallabies in the rear view mirror and look toward Westpac Stadium tomorrow.

Expectations have risen immeasurably after the Sydney shellacking and Hansen has spent the week stamping out any visions of grandeur.

Blindside flanker Steven Luatua has been off limits to media in the same way Aaron Smith was after he burst on to the test scene last year.

Nothing takes the edge off more effectively than having key players with their tyres pumped up.

And no sooner had the All Blacks arrived back from Sydney than they were picking their own game apart. Lineouts and scrums have been identified as focal points for improvement.

Throw in a Wallabies side with dented pride and the seeds were sown on which to build urgency and edge.

But when Aaron Cruden (knee) and Beauden Barrett (calf) were ruled out, a big chunk of the motivational work was done.

Aside from the skills Taylor brings, with goalkicking his decisive edge over Colin Slade, he also stamps out any chance of complacency.

There is no lack of faith in Taylor. ‘‘He has an attitude that he wants to be there and he fits in and he knows a lot of the [Crusaders] guys pretty well, which makes it more comfortable,’’ Hansen said of his first five-eighth.

‘‘We’ve had no trouble up-skilling him. He’s got enough skills of his own.’’

There is no lack of confidence from Taylor, who seemed relaxed at his callup and, as the son of All Black Warwick, unflustered by the fuss of his pending debut.

‘‘It’s my chance to prove to myself and everyone else that I can do it,’’ the 24-year-old said. ‘‘Growing up I was lucky to have those people [All Blacks] around me to help me or make me feel comfortable and I suppose I used it to my advantage.’’

He could even afford a joke that his father got out the clearly well-used tapes of his 1987 World Cup exploits ‘‘from time to time’’.

But at some point Taylor and his team-mates will feel the nerves. He has been asked to step into a role he’s filled just once all year for the Crusaders.

And he’s been tossed the kicking tee, too, in what shapes as a trickier test than the one Cruden nailed to near perfection during the opening test ambush.

However he fares, those around Taylor will be required to rise to the occasion. His six Crusaders team-mates will feel a duty to make their mate’s big night a memorable one.

‘‘It’s really important guys like Ma’a [Nonu] and Conrad [Smith] get behind him and make him feel comfortable out there,’’ fullback Israel Dagg said. ‘‘The Bledisloe Cup decider, she can be daunting, but I’m just getting behind Tommy and telling him to be himself, telling him don’t worry about anything else. I told him it will fly by so make the most of it.’’

Throw in Tony Woodcock’s 100th test and the All Blacks should not lack for reference points as they try to sew up the Bledisloe Cup for the 10th straight year.

The Wallabies confirmed one injuryenforced change to their side yesterday, with abrasive Brumbies utility forward Scott Fardy replacing Hugh McMenamin at blindside flanker.