Star-Spangled All Blacks
The All Blacks, who arrived at the O'Hare Airport on Monday, will be the star attraction in Chicago this week – ahead of their one-off Test against the United States Eagles at the historic Soldier Field Stadium on Saturday.
Soldier Field, an American Gridiron stadium on the South side of Chicago in Illinois and which opened in 1924, is the oldest NFL venue.
The 61,500 capacity stadium, the third smallest venue in the National Football League, will be a sell-out for the historic encounter between the national Rugby Union teams of the United States and New Zealand.
The game marks new horizons for the All Blacks.
"I think it's pretty exciting," All Black captain Richie McCaw said.
"I know the guys are pretty excited about what's ahead and we made it here, so I'm looking forward to it."
It is the first time any of these All Blacks have played a Test in the United States, in a city that will provide plenty of distractions.
"This won't be any different," said coach Steve Hanson.
"There'll be a bit of stargazing, because we haven't been here before.
"However, other than that it'll be just a normal Test match."
With the match a sell-out, those expats who turned up to welcome the All Blacks think the game is getting some real traction.
"I think it's good for us to have that," said McCaw.
"Coming off the couple games we've had, where we haven't quite played the way we'd like to have, now's a chance to do that," he said of the loss to the Springboks and a narrow win over the Wallabies.
"It's a new city, a new field and an opposition that will resemble a box of chocolates."
* Meanwhile McCaw said he is sick of hearing from Daniel Carter's detractors.
The All Blacks captain is defending his flyhalf, who has endured a horror run of injuries since the 2011 World Cup.
Carter has only played six of the All Blacks 24 Tests since the start of 2013.
McCaw said Carter's injury issues can be overcome.
He said people go on about Carter getting old, but the leg fracture he suffered could have happened as a 20-year-old, so he gets a bit frustrated hearing about that.
Sources: 3 News & Newstalk ZB
