Things are getting serious. The World Champions have arrived on English soil and the Rugby World Cup suddenly seems very real. I caught up with eight of the New Zealand squad as they were welcomed at an event put on by AIG in London’s South Bank, part of several days of sponsor events and media obligations that the players have to go through before attention turns to their first game against Argentina.
Hundreds of ex-pats queued for several hours to meet the players who were greeted by a traditional Maori Haka and a scrum of TV crews. Huge support and expectation follow this team everywhere but they don’t seem fazed. As Kieran Read put it, “We have pressure wherever we go so this isn’t a change. The challenge we face here is huge but we are focused.”
Steve Hansen has tried to play down the level of expectation on this team to become the first in history to win successive World Cup titles, but the Kiwis are under no false illusions. As well as boasting a selection of the most experienced and successful players in rugby history, this squad also has some of the most exciting youngsters in the sport with the likes of Nehe Milner-Skudder, Waisake Naholo and Malakai Fekitoa among 17 World Cup debutants desperate to get their chance.
For one of those new faces, TJ Perenara, part of their confidence comes from an environment that allows fresh players to flourish: “The older and more experienced lads in the team have taken the young ones under their wing and shown them how things are done when you’re an All Black. Everyone is allowed the opportunity to express themselves on and off the pitch.”
It remains to be seen whether coming off the back of an intense Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup match will leave New Zealand slightly more match ready than their Northern Hemisphere rivals. Aaron Smith, who is relishing the chance to reignite some battles of his own at scrum half, calms any fears that they might not be peaking at the right time,“We’ve had three weeks since those games to prepare properly for this, it’s rare for us to have that much time together and we are ready.”
Smith explains that the next few days will be spent recovering from jet lag with light gym work the only requirement before attention turns later in the week to Wembley this Sunday where Argentina will realistically present the only real threat of Pool C.
The coaches will be keeping an eye on how things are unfolding in the groups around them. Should everything go to plan they will find themselves playing Ireland or France in the next round and that’s when New Zealand fans will start getting nervous, eager that their team don’t repeat some of their former slip ups.
Prop Wyatt Crockett says the only feeling in the squad this week is excitement rather than nerves and cites the global support they receive as a major factor: “We are so lucky to have millions of supporters back home and also so much support when we travel. Excitement levels are high and the players will be jumping out of their skin to perform this week.”
An All Blacks team playing out of its skin is a worrying prospect for everyone else.
By Joe Ogden (@JoeOgden90)
The All Blacks were speaking on behalf of AIG, the Official Insurance Partner of New Zealand Rugby. AIG is bringing fans closer to the All Blacks’ haka than ever before. Take the challenge at AIG.com/Haka360.
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Great insight Joe.
Ali Williams’ comments about England don’t seem to have been echoed by this team then. Mind you, AW may have been talking to Enoch!?
Nevertheless, perhaps Williams may have picked up on a perception that a few others share?
Anyway, these are distractions which the ABs are unlikely to interest themselves in as their only focus will be to make history step by step beginning nxt Sun.
Now, where did I put my tkt?