The All Blacks will face a much sterner test of their ability against Australia and South Africa in the Tri-Nations than they experienced against the British and Irish Lions, New Zealand coach Graham Henry said on Wednesday.
The All Blacks are preparing for their first Tri-Nations match against the Springboks in Cape Town on August 6 before facing the Wallabies in Sydney on August 13.
”Then we are going to find out where the deficiencies are and you have got something to coach,” Henry said.
”We had deficiencies last year and we got third in this championship — last.”
He said the All Blacks were making pleasing progress but the Tri-Nations is expected to show some ”rough edges” to be worked on.
Henry described the annual Tri-Nations an international yardstick for the sport, featuring the best three teams in the world.
The All Blacks completed a lopsided 3-0 whitewash of the Lions earlier this month but Henry said his team was not reading too much into the series, which would be a good build up for the Tri-Nations.
”I don’t think there is any inflated opinion of our own ability,” he said after the All Blacks’ first training run since the Lions series.
New Zealand supporters needed to acknowledge other countries could play good rugby and the All Blacks were not always winners, he said, pointing out they had not won the World Cup since 1987.
”We have not been the best team in 20 years and that is what I am trying to say.”
”We want the All Blacks to play well in every Test and hopefully they will do that. Sometimes they will get beaten because the other guys are better.”
The All Blacks will leave for South Africa on Friday without any injury problems. Standoff Daniel Carter, and inside centre Aaron Mauger, flanker Richie McCaw and fullback Leon MacDonald have all recovered from injuries that kept them out of the third Lions test.
Australia will play South Africa in Pretoria on Saturday in the opening match of the Tri-Nations. – Sapa-AFP