All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has emphasised the need for All Blacks camps during the Super Rugby competition, stating not having them would leave the team with an "impossible task" heading into their three-Test series against France.
Hansen and his management have come under fire from critics of the camps in recent weeks after players such as Tim Perry and Jordan Taufua picked up injuries while attending - Sonny Bill Williams has also undergone a minor surgery after picking up a knee injury last week.
But the All Blacks coach sees the gatherings as a neccessity to bring players up to speed on strategies and skills he think he would otherwise be unable to teach in the week building up to the curtain-raiser.
The Crusaders duo have both been sidelined with concussion symptoms. (Source: Other)
"We'd just be setting ourselves an impossible task if we hadn't had the camps," Hansen said.
"What a lot of people might not understand is you've got five groups of players coming into one environment. They have three months to get ready to play their first [Super Rugby] game; we've got seven days.
Hansen’s mid-season camps have disrupted the Kiwi Super Rugby season. (Source: Other)
"To not have the camps and get that same information, we'd get to Saturday with overload. We've got to limit that, and get to Thursday and not worry too much about what we don't know, and get excited about what we do know."
The All Blacks play France this Saturday at Eden Park in the first Test and expects a difficult series.
"We're about to play statistically the best defensive side in world rugby, running at about 92.5 percent tackle completion, and only letting in one and a-half tries a game [in the Six Nations].
"Their competition final has only taken three out, and they've brought the best team they possibly could. They've had a great Six Nations. Whilst they wouldn't have been happy with their placing, a lot of stuff they're working on has improved remarkably."
Saturday's game kicks off at 7:30pm.
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