Hansen: No easing off
Coach Steve Hansen vowed there would be no easing up after the All Blacks put one hand on the Bledisloe Cup trophy they've held for a decade.
The All Blacks flattened any hopes a winning start for new Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie with six tries in a 47-29 romp in the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup opener in Sydney on Saturday.
It was business-as-usual as the rampant All Blacks again mastered the Wallabies for their 100th Test win over their trans-Tasman foes and their 15th victory in the last 19 encounters between the two countries.
The All Blacks can wrap up the Bledisloe Cup for a 11th straight year with victory in Wellington next week. The third game of the series is in Dunedin on October 19.
Hansen said there would be no complacency as the World Cup holders seek to ram home their advantage over the transitional Wallabies.
"In the Bledisloe Cup, you have to win twice, so we haven't done anything yet, we've only done a small part of the job, but until we win two, we haven't won it," Hansen said after Saturday's big win.
"One of the strengths of the All Blacks team, in history, is they are very good at looking at the things they didn't do well.
"And when we reflect on this game, we'll look at the stuff we need to fix up and do better and there's quite a bit. That's my gut feeling from what I saw.
"A lot of things we did great but there's still a lot we need to tidy up. Our leaders are very important in this area, they'll keep driving the team.
"It's important to be a winning team but you've got to keep humble and your feet on the floor because you've got to win again next week."
McKenzie, who spoke this week about a fresh approach after a decade of playing second-best to the All Blacks, said his team will work on their shortcomings this week ahead of the return game in Wellington.
"They are a good side, the best side in the world on capitalising on mistakes," he said.
"They reaped the rewards for the pressure they put on. Next week's a different game.
"We're not going to sit here and get bogged down and spin our wheels, we'll concentrate on the positives and tidy up some of the things we need to."
AFP
