No lack of motivation for AB's
Although they are not chasing the world record for consecutive Test wins any more, the All Blacks will have plenty to play for on their year-end tour.
The world champion side's winning streak was stopped by a 18-18 draw with the Wallabies in Brisbane, but No.8 Kieran Read, who is tipped to be given an opportunity to skipper the side on the upcoming tour, is adamant that the team's performance levels will not drop off in Europe.
The All Blacks have built up a proud record in Europe, having won every Test match on tour there since 2002, and they will also be looking to protect their unbeaten records against Scotland and Italy.
Read said that while it will be important to extend their dominance in Europe, he believes that New Zealand approach every Test match with the necessary focus and intensity, and does not expect that to change.
He told Fairfax media: "This group and every group I've been a part of doesn't want to be that [first] team that loses, so we'll work really hard [to avoid] that."
"We just want to be winning, and that's motivation enough for us to do what we need to do each week.
"Our preparation is pretty key to putting in a performance each Saturday, and hopefully we can go up there and show those people in the north how we play the game of rugby. We want to play a really nice style," he explained.
Read revealed that the senior players were stung particularly hard by the draw with the Wallabies and are hoping to 'set the record straight' with some emphatic performances up north.
"There are a few guys today pretty disappointed still from that performance. It's just a little bit of extra motivation. We want to play our game and really play some positive footy and hopefully we can showcase that up there," he said.
The tough loose forward said that although the All Blacks have been in dominant form this year, they are looking at this tour as an opportunity to fine-tune their game.
"We want to be playing at a really high level," added Read.
"There are opportunities for us to do that and we'll work hard at it. It's about making sure you're motivated and prepare as well as you can, because it's not just going to happen."
