New Zealand’s preparations for the 2011 rugby World Cup begin in earnest in five weeks when they head to the northern hemisphere for their end-of-season tour, coach Graham Henry said on Sunday.
A day after the All Blacks ended a mediocre Tri-Nations campaign with a 33-6 home victory over Australia, Henry’s focus shifted to the six-match tour with an eye to the World Cup in less than two years time.
The All Blacks have not won the trophy since the inaugural tournament in New Zealand in 1987, and with the 2011 version also at home, Henry’s team must start to lay the foundations to meet the expectations of a rugby-mad public.
”It’s an opportunity for the guys to cement themselves into the thinking of the selectors for the rugby World Cup,” Henry told reporters on Sunday. ”That’s part of the deal.
”It’s a good way of guys getting their feet under the table with the All Blacks or not doing so.
”So there’s pressure on individuals to play well but also big Test matches to play as well.”
Despite Saturday’s winning margin, New Zealand had a patchy season by their standards, losing four games — one to France and three to world champions South Africa, losing the Dave Gallaher Cup and Tri-Nations trophy in the process.
The scoreline at Westpac Stadium, while deserved, arguably highlighted the Wallabies’ shortcomings rather than signal a vast improvement by the All Blacks.
New Zealand have yet to reproduce the performances from 2005-06 that made them short-priced favourites ahead of the 2007 World Cup in France.
New talent
A nucleus of experienced players from those years has remained, though an infusion of new talent has taken longer than expected to adapt to the rigours of international rugby.
Henry was adamant, however, the northern hemisphere tour was about bedding in those players and giving them more Test exposure rather then blooding new ones.
The majority of the Tri-Nations squad will go while several young players, who have taken the domestic provincial competition by storm, will have to prove themselves in Super 14 next year first before getting their chance.
”Do we take some of the 20-year-olds on this tour or do we use the Super 14 as the selection vehicle for those players?” Henry said. ”I’d imagine one or two will go … but most will have to prove themselves through the Super 14.”
Henry said hooker Keven Mealamu, lock Ali Williams and centre Richard Kahui were already ruled out because of injury.
The All Blacks meet the Wallabies in Tokyo on October 31 before Tests against Wales (November 7), Italy (November 14), England (November 21) and France (November 28).
They end the tour against the invitational Barbarians on December 5 in London. – Reuters