ABs begin build-up for World Cup
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 allimportant 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.
‘‘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.