No hype needed for rematch. These All Blacks refuse to stall and consider the burden of history, about being the first of their kind to lose to Ireland. They are used to getting the finger pointed at them, Owen Franks assured us, sitting beside an almost fit Sam Whitelock.
Nestled in their usual Dublin base, Castleknock might be Devin Toner country in rugby terms but it’s where the touring New Zealanders lay their heads.
“I wouldn’t say revenge,” Franks replied to an obvious probe. “The dominant team on the day deserved their win. Any time you don’t perform, don’t put your best effort out there, it is more for yourself.
“It wasn’t Ireland’s fault that we played bad.”
Both men deflect a question about pressure before Franks sniffs a follow up about Chicago before declining to tear off a pound of flesh with his huge, hidden claws. Five days is a long way out.
“I haven’t thought about it in that sort of detail, I haven’t thought about the burden of it. I guess it is the sign of the times, of professional rugby; Ireland train just like us every day, to be better. To see them improve is awesome for them.”
This gathering took place only moments after New Zealand, as a collective, had analysed the Ireland match. They parked it until now.
Let it fester.
“It was a good honest review and it’s good that it is honest rather than going sideways with it,” said Whitelock.
Franks: “In a high performance environment where you got a heap of guys who want to be the best they can be it is always going to be a critical review whether you have lost or played your best, even when you are winning it is pretty much the same.
“We are used to criticism and getting the finger pointed at us.”
The first half lineouts merited a few freeze frames. Three Dan Coles throws went over the top but Toner’s Ireland will be facing a different beast come Saturday.
Steve Hansen will select the strongest possible starting XV. That probably means a brand new, or more accurately reverting to the old guard at set piece.
“We poked the bear,” admitted Joe Schmidt. Correct, and that massive grizzly will take form in the reunification of arguably the game’s greatest ever second row pairing.
Whitelock is expected to shake off an ankle injury that has thus far denied him any exposure on tour while former world player of the year Brodie Retallick has recovered sufficiently from concussion – after being elbowed in the face by Wallaby Dean Mumm on October 22nd – to feature off the bench last Saturday as Conor O’Shea’s Italy got mauled (68-10) in Rome.
That’s a 140 test cap combination returning to mend a disjointed lineout.
“Well, first of all I have to get selected,” said Whitelock, “But I have to get through a few things I haven’t done yet, full live scrums is one of them, but if I get out there I would love to have an opportunity to put my best foot forward, play the way I know I can and hopefully help the team out in any way.
“There are a lot of things we got to improve from Chicago. (The lineout) is one of them...We got to be aware of it but we can’t be obsessed with it.
“We are going to come up with a good plan and go from there.”
Other areas in need of healing should see Aaron Smith and current world player of the year Beauden Barrett reconnect at half back.
Smith has had off field troubles of late but showed well off the bench at Stadio Olimpico.
The midfield picks itself as New Zealand only have two fit centres remaining on tour, after Ryan Crotty (hamstring) and George Moala (elbow) pulled up in Soldier Field. That means Anton Lienert-Brown and Malakai Fekitoa will start unless Hansen decides to unleash the herculean teenage Rieko Ioane on the Aviva stadium. The coach sees Ioane as a winger, on this tour at least, and the expectation is that the All Blacks will return to Israel Dagg’s aerial expertise at right wing, Ben Smith being a fixture at fullback, with Julian Savea a redemptive selection after rare moments of uncertainty in Chicago. The world class alternative in the blacks famed 11 jersey is Waisake Naholo.
The same frontrow of Joe Moody, Dane Coles and Franks looks a certainty with Jerome Kaino returning to the blindside flank, despite carrying a knock, alongside Sam Cane and captain Kieran Read.
Kaino has been on the road a very long time, having seen off Jamie Heaslip for world junior player of the year in 2004, but unlike Heaslip he did heal up during a three year sabbatical in Japan.
Nobody wants to miss this one.
New Zealand (possible): Ben Smith; Israel Dagg, Malakai Fekitoa, Anton Lienert-Brown, Julian Savea; Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Dane Coles, Owen Franks; Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock; Jerome Kaino, Sam Cane, Kieran Read (capt).
