Former head coach Steve Hansen even made an appearance during training today.
The All Blacks play Namibia on Saturday morning.
Labour’s polling woes
Labour’s chances of clinching a third term in government have taken a hit with the latest poll.
There’s now a 14-point gap in support between the party and National - according to the latest Newshub-Reid Research survey.
Labour is down to 26.8 per cent while the Nats have hit 40.9. Both party leaders are on 22.5 per cent for preferred prime minister.
It comes off the back of Labour announcing its free dental for under 30s policy.
Govt opens the books
Today we get a good look at the government’s books.
ASB expects the Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Update to show a weaker fiscal position than Budget 2023 forecast.
It also thinks the return to an underlying budget surplus is likely to be pushed back by a year or so, to 2026 or 2027.
Government debt is also expected to be higher than the 22 per cent peak in the Budget forecast.
Rental shortages
It’s thought Auckland residential rental stock shortages are approaching crisis levels.
Impression Real Estate data shows a 900 per cent increase in the number of prospective tenants viewing a rental property in just six months.
There’s concern about the lengths desperate people are going to, to try secure a property - including offering to pay more rent.
One property manager was even offered a $200 bribe from a prospective tenant.
Morocco death toll rises
Rescuers are racing against time to find survivors in the rubble more than 48 hours after Morocco’s deadliest earthquake in more than 60 years.
More than 2600 people have been killed in a disaster that devastated villages in the high Atlas Mountains.
Search teams from Spain, Britain and Qatar are joining efforts to find survivors of the 6.8 magnitude quake that struck on Saturday.