New Zealand are expecting a bounce from Ireland as the teams face into their final match of the November series.
Australia's mauling of Ireland in Aviva Stadium may have been seen as an effective tool in tenderising Joe Schmidt's team but Kiwi assistant coach Ian Foster only has to remember Ireland's 2012 effort in Christchurch that almost rewarded Declan Kidney with a first ever win. But then why would he?
So preternaturally ahead of the rest of the world pack, the Kiwis don’t tend to stress over who they have played or will play.
The rest of the world already in their pockets this season, Ireland represents a snare of grass that at best may slow them down.
“It’s boring press but it’s the next one,” says Foster. He means New Zealand, respectfully, will not glorify the last match of their tour with special significance. Sunday is the next door to kick down as they assuredly have all year long.
"We're not seeing it as the last one, we are seeing it as the next one," he added. "Since we've come to Europe we been really pleased with the two results we got. I guess we haven't been totally satisfied with the actual performances.
Chasing great performance
"We're ambitious. We want to play to a top level every week and with that in mind we want to make sure in our next performance we get better. We are still chasing that great performance on this tour and the fact that Ireland is next is irrelevant to us. The fact is, it's the next game and it's the next opportunity for us to do that."
Flanked by two fresh faces Sam Cane and Charles Piutau, both graduates of the 2011 Under 20 Rugby World Cup winning team, Foster's recital of New Zealand thinking seems just another lesson on their road to a black jersey. Cane, a loose forward has 13 caps and made his 2012 debut against Ireland in New Zealand's 22-19 win in Christchurch, outside back, Piutau seven caps.
Hanging squad motivation on an ability to varnish the Aviva occasion or the threat of Ireland is not part of their mindset because the process is flawed.
“The problem with that strategy is that it’s temporary,” says Foster. “And what happens if you haven’t got the occasion. All of a sudden you have given yourself an excuse not to perform. So the answer is we always drive from within, be our harshest critics in what we want to achieve. That works well.”
There was no hard news of injuries to the squad as the players rest for a couple of days. There appears too, not much decision making on the composition of Sunday’s team.
“We really want to put out our strongest team every week. Sometimes that means we don’t make any changes and sometimes we make two or three because we feel the right thing is to bring a little more energy into the unit,” says Foster.
“For this week that’s another key decision . . . but we’ve got a pretty clear idea.”
