All Blacks prep for Test season

 

The players from the Hurricanes and Highlanders were not available for the camp but good progress had been made among those who did attend, All Black assistant coach Ian Foster said.

 

"It's been a good four days. We don't often have a whole week together before an assembly week for a Test so it was good to bring everyone in. Clearly there were only three franchises here but it is a chance to slowly introduce guys to how we want to operate, and to introduce a couple of new things," Foster said.

 

Newer players involved for the first time needed to be assessed for how they learned best and the best form of communication with them and also making them feel safe so communication was a two-way thing.

 

"That takes a bit of time but we've been delighted with the way the new boys have settled in," he said.

 

All Black captain Richie McCaw said that the camp got off to a good start.

 

"The things we have worked on this week, and will work on next week, we want to make sure we put that out on the track. 

 

"The Samoan boys will be keen to put a good show on so it's not just a matter of rocking up there and turning up to be in a game, we're going there to make sure we perform, and we're going to have to," McCaw said.

 

McCaw said it had been a useful camp and while it was a little strange without the full complement of players there was plenty that had been achieved.

 

"Going into next week in terms of getting ready for a Test I think we are in pretty good shape," he said.

 

Some of the thinking was also based around the personnel available and using players who had strengths in different areas and using them in the right places.

 

"We figure out how guys learn and talk and react to the pressure that is within it," Foster added.

 

Injuries were also clearer in the unit. Israel Dagg had trained fully and while it wasn't hard out, he did the physical work he needed to and Jerome Kaino got through everything. Sam Cane had been eased off a little because he appeared jaded but more in need of time off the park than anything, he said.

 

The two players who would be playing club rugby at the weekend were Charles Piutau and Tawera Kerr-Barlow.

 

During the camp some new material was delivered for the side and Foster said it was the sort of thing that got everyone on the edge of their seats, new players and those who had been involved for a while.

 

"It wasn't just the new players learning stuff, I think that has proven to be good getting them all at the same level going through a learning process together.

 

"It's been a great time to do that. Clearly as we get into a Test week we'll narrow things down a little bit but this is a chance we've had to put a whole lot of things out on the park," explained Foster.

 

For McCaw, he will be watching the Super Rugby semis from home, as he and the rest of the All Blacks not involved in Super Rugby now turn their attention to the Test season. 

 

"I'll sit back and watch the games over the weekend, and it's always the way, you wish you were out there but it wasn't to be so you move on to your next thing pretty quick and right now, after a week here, the thought about being ready for the Test season is the thing you think about," said McCaw.