Even without a limping Richie McCaw, the All Blacks go into their final group game against Tonga insisting they are ready for the World Cup knockout rounds.
Their final Pool C game is their last chance to erase any anxieties before the competition goes into sudden death. However, they will be without their inspirational skipper who is sidelined with a sore thigh.
The All Blacks eased into the quarter-finals unbeaten after three games, but without ever looking the unpenetrable fortress they usually are. They are expecting a much-need workout from the bruising Tonga side up front and in the backs a repeat of the one-man “shooter” defense — two areas of concern when they played Georgia on the weekend.
Photo: AFP
Coach Steve Hansen has repeatedly emphasized that the lesson learned from the ill-fated 2007 campaign was that pool games are not for posting record scores, but to rehearse for scenarios to be faced in the knockout stages.
He is confident that any problems are being rectified and a thorough work out against Tonga will top things off.
“We’ve worked incredibly hard on the training pitch, but it may not have reflected in the quality of the performance that everyone expects from us,” Hansen said.
Photo: Reuters
“It’s more a reflection of how hard we’ve been working off it, probably harder than we’ve ever worked before as a team in the last four years,” he said. “So physically we’ll be ready and I know that mentally we’re a strong side.”
Flyhalf Dan Carter suggested “over-thinking” was at the root of their problems and the focus against Tonga was to get clarity in their game.
Carter, looking to recover from scratchy performances and a wayward kicking radar, should feel more comfortable with Ma’a Nonu outside him instead of Sonny Bill Williams.
He refers to Nonu, who will be playing his 100th Test, as his “eyes and ears,” relaying what the big No. 12 is seeing and “helping me with my option taking.”
Waisake Naholo has been cleared to start on the wing with Nehe Milner-Skudder giving Julian Savea a break after featuring in the first three games.
Props Tony Woodcock and Owen Franks return to the starting line up, while Luke Romano replaces Brodie Retallick in the middle row.
McCaw, the world’s most experienced Test player with 145 caps, was omitted because of a leg knock suffered against Georgia. Sam Cane is to get his second start of the tournament.
Mathematically, Tonga can make the quarters, but their last realistic World Cup hope, a third-place pool finish to automatically qualify for the 2019 tournament, disappeared on Wednesday when Georgia beat Namibia. However, they still want to finish with pride.
Captain Nili Latu said they will pressure the All Blacks.
“We’ve got to go in attacking. We can’t just go in there and let the All Blacks have their way,” Latu said.
Tonga center Siale Piutau, whose All Blacks brother Charles missed the cut for the World Cup, said New Zealand have weak points, but it will take a total effort to exploit them.
“They have come back from games when they have been down after 60 minutes, 70 minutes. So for us to win this game, not only our belief has to be there, our faith, but were going to have to play the full 80,” he said.
“The way its gone with the Georgians, the Namibians and the Argentinians, they’ve given the All Blacks a good run,” he added.
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