Tauranga proves ideal environment for ABs

Dan Carter clocks up spins on the stationary bike.

With just three sleeps until the All Blacks squad is announced on Sunday, there were no obvious pre-selection jitters on display among the 19 players who have spent three days this week in Tauranga at a training camp.

All Blacks strength and conditioning coach Nic Gill told the Bay of Plenty Times the camp had been "great, very worthwhile."

"I wouldn't say it was relaxing as the boys worked very hard but just being here in the environment of Tauranga and the Mount, both outdoors at Blake Park and here in Aspire gym, it has been fantastic.

Brodie Retallick rehydrates

"Very conducive to working hard together and enjoying the surroundings. For two out of three days the weather was amazing."

All Black squad hopeful Ma'a Nonu, though, was not impressed by the rain yesterday, joking: "Training was good and the facilities and trainers awesome. But not the weather.

"Being Tauranga and the Mount, we were expecting the sunshine of New Zealand but yesterday a whole lot of rain got dumped on us."

Nonu catches his breath after a training session.

Gill said the camp had been an opportunity to look at rehab plans, injuries "and to work really hard on the areas that are going to help us play rugby better - mainly fitness, strength, power and speed."

Nonu, together with the other players, who included Sonny Bill Williams, Luke Romano, Kieran Read, Ma'a Nonu, Liam Messam and Dan Carter, all departed Tauranga yesterday for their home provinces.

Gill said they would get one day off, then would be back training again before selection day on Sunday.

All Blacks mill around before training.

So why didn't Richie McCaw come to Tauranga?

Although Richie's no show may have disappointed some Tauranga fans, Gill said the camp was on a needs basis and McCaw was not required to attend.

"The camp was an opportunity for me and the physiotherapist Pete Gallagher to look at rehab plans, check injuries and to work with some players.

"Richie has no current injuries and has 142 tests under his belt so it was not a priority."

Even without McCaw, the All Blacks were often swamped by requests for selfies from locals.

Gill said they took the attention in their stride and that it was relatively low-key in Tauranga compared to what they would get in England.

As for the final selection, Gill was understandably tight-lipped.

Nonu said that despite his relaxed demeanour it was natural the players were nervous.

"You are always nervous. If you are not nervous you are in a danger zone with professional footy. It is all about preparation," he said.

"You do your prep and respect the opposition. There are nerves as you don't want to let the boys or friends down. You don't want to let fans down."

Tauranga, he said, was a welcome break from the pressures to come, with Nonu driving the boys' van and ribbing his teammates.

"It was supposed to be Kieran or DC on driving duty but I got to it first.

"I wouldn't say I was a better driver than DC, just different," Nonu said.

"The boys have automatics. Dan has a Range Rover Sport. I drive a Ford Ranger. Nothing wrong with that. I drive a manual, you know."

The father of three was going to spend the next day with family, "the kids are missing me", then hopefully it would be game on for him and the others chosen in the squad.

Gill said the boys were "not on a special diet, just eat healthy and lots of it."

-Where they trained: Blake Park and Aspire Health and Sports Bethlehem