The All Blacks have decided the risk of injury is secondary to the need for a last physical hit-out before the World Cup and will select their strongest team to play the Springboks at Twickenham on Saturday.
Assistant coach Jason Ryan, a notorious straight-shooter, laid out his expectations to the media after the All Blacks held their first full day of training at their base in a warm London overnight NZT.
The sold-out Test is looming as a hugely important last piece of the puzzle in terms of the All Blacks’ World Cup preparation and given the Boks’ convincing 52-16 victory over Wales in Cardiff at the weekend, Ryan and company will be expecting a vastly improved team to the one they beat 35-20 at Mount Smart Stadium in the Rugby Championship in July.
Inspirational skipper Siya Kolisi’s return from a knee injury is another significant boost for the Boks.
To that end, there is no selection “juggling act” for the All Blacks this week, Ryan said.
“We’ll pick our best team available… we’re looking forward to a good physical contest against the Springboks,” he said. “It’s exactly what we need heading into our first World Cup game.”
The All Blacks’ first World Cup assignment is against France in Paris on September 9 and while the hosts have been rocked by the injury to playmaker Romain Ntamack, there is no wish to be overly protective of key decision makers such as Aaron Smith, Richie Mo’unga or Beauden Barrett.
The decision has likely been driven by the need to get the All Blacks in the right mental state as much as a physical one, Ryan saying the priority was to dominate on the pitch and that his side wouldn’t hold anything back tactically.
Several of the All Blacks’ biggest rivals, including South Africa, Ireland, France and England, played internationals over the weekend, with the Boks and Ireland, who beat England 29-10 in Dublin, the most impressive. For England, the defeat came with the additional blow of Billy Vunipola’s red card.
“You’re always going to get injuries and your squad is always going to get tested,” Ryan said.
“You’ve just got to have a dominant mindset. If you’re hesitant in anything you do, that’s when you get injuries. That’s how we’re going to prepare.”
Lock Brodie Retallick (knee) and loose forward Shannon Frizell (hamstring) are out, as expected, with everyone else, including returning midfielder David Havili, available.
Havili, who has recovered from a hamstring injury suffered in Super Rugby in May, will likely play a part on Saturday given his lack of game time.
He said he was looking forward to potentially facing a Boks team that played with more ambition and flair against Wales.
“They’ve got strike power across the park,” he said.
England’s recent foul play trouble will likely add extra emphasis to the All Blacks coaches’ messages this week about the need to tackle within the laws of the game.
For Ryan the situation is straightforward. “There have been a lot of cards, clearly, but the rules are pretty obvious aren’t they? You’ve just got to stay away from the head.”
In winning four out of four Tests this year – the first three in dominant fashion against Argentina, the Boks and Australia (before a more scratchy win over the Wallabies in Dunedin) – the All Blacks have played a simple but hugely effective game plan built around set piece and breakdown efficiency.
Their 38-7 win over the Wallabies in Melbourne appeared significant in that it appeared so straightforward the All Blacks had the luxury of not having to reveal too much variety in their backline attack.
Will we see more variation at Twickenham? It’s highly likely given the intensity that the Boks are likely to defend with will be similar to pool rivals France and potential quarter-final foe Ireland.
“Tradition shows that the team that evolves the most will hold the trophy up,” Ryan said.
“There are some good areas around our breakdown we can keep working on and defensively we’re making some good progress as well.”
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