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All Blacks must win at home

To win the Investec Tri Nations, the All Blacks must win their opening two Test matches against the world champion Springboks.

Tuesday, 06 July 2010

Sportal.co.nz

To win the Investec Tri Nations, the All Blacks must win their opening two Test matches against the world champion Springboks.

New Zealand forwards coach Steve Hansen made it clear winning in Auckland and Wellington over the next two weeks was imperative to set up a successful tournament, which would only be achieved by securing the trophy.

"Getting the Boks first up means we have to win both games at home, otherwise we have to make up the points offshore," Hansen said.

"We have a deep desire to perform having lost the Tri Nations last year. There's a huge hunger to win it back. We're playing what everybody deems to be the best side in the world. We fancy ourselves to be a handy rugby side as well. There's a lot at stake, so the tension and pressure is a lot greater than normal."

Hansen insisted there was no mental hangover from last year's three losses to the Springboks, whose coach Peter de Villiers said the All Blacks had lost their invincibility.

"Test rugby's about playing mind games and he's [de Villiers] very good at it," Hansen added. "They're 3-0 up over the last 12 months so they can say whatever they want and feel pretty confident."

All Blacks loose forward Kieran Read believed South Africa was a much stronger team than Ireland and Wales.

Read will mark Pierre Spies on Saturday and he considers the rangy Bulls flanker to be the best No.8 in the world, but the Cantabrian was determined to put in a performance that overshadowed his opposite.

"This is the biggest Test we'll face all year. It's going to be a massive challenge," he said.

Last year, the New Zealand's lineout was dismantled and dissected by supreme South African lineout lieutenant Victor Matfield.

The 33-year-old is renowned for his ability to astutely work out calls and get under the opposition's skin. Both Hansen and Read said it was important not to be 'psyched out' by the former Springboks captain.

"He's [Matfield] regarded as the world's best - and he is. He's got a mana about him as well," Read said.

In the past, the All Blacks had worried too much about the Matfield factor, he said.

Read also expected the Boks to use mauling as a launch pad, which would allow them to control the game if it wasn't stopped early.

New Zealand's confidence was a lot higher than this time last year and it had built combinations during the three successful June Test matches.

This Test was more significant as it was important not to let South Africa gain a mental advantage by winning at Eden Park – for the first time since 1937 – with the World Cup on the horizon.

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