All Blacks: Hansen puts heat on forwards

Owen Franks and the All Blacks pack are aiming to step up. Photo / Getty Images

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has given his forwards a message - what you're doing isn't good enough.

It might seem a bit blunt but his honesty is why he is so popular with his players. All the signs suggest that they are enjoying a change of voice after Sir Graham Henry's reign, which is only natural, and now it's up to them, and in particular the big men, to take a stand after a less than accurate past few weeks.

Their biggest test of the new Rugby Championship starts today against the Pumas at La Plata and finishes a week later at the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg against a Springboks team that will be searching for payback after showing in their 21-11 loss in Dunedin that they still possess enough threats to make life uncomfortable for any team.

After the final Bledisloe Cup test against Australia in Brisbane on October 20, a dead rubber which is likely to be less of a slog up front, the forwards will take centre stage again when the team travels to a Northern Hemisphere winter and tests against Scotland, Italy, Wales and England.

If ever there was a time to get the lowdown on the low numbers, this is it.

"It's about being really consistent and setting the platform for the backs. We've obviously got dangerous backs so the better ball they get the better the team will go," tighthead prop Owen Franks said.

"They bring something a bit different," he said of the Pumas forwards. "They bring a lot of passion. It's hard to say, they just get stuck in so it's even more important that we execute and do our roles really well."

One of Hansen's main gripes has been the poor execution in cleaning out rucks. He expects each of his forwards, and backs occasionally, to get rid of individuals rather than double or triple-teaming players which takes away precious resources. "One man, one bullet," he calls it.

The set piece will be important too of course and Franks said Pumas loosehead Rodrigo Roncero, the 35-year-old qualified doctor of medicine, was a challenging opponent.

"He's really good. He's up there with the best. I always say every loosehead brings something different. He's really gutsy and pretty strong.

"I can honestly say every [test] scrum is different and tough."

He added of the Argentine scrum: "Sometimes you can crumple them on a hit and they still hang in there. That's what Roncero's really good at. He always stays in the fight and uses his body really well to get in good positions."

Franks, a 24-year-old who has played 38 tests, admitted that life after Brad Thorn, an acknowledged scrummaging powerhouse, has taken some getting used to.

"It took a bit of adjusting to at the start of the year, but a guy like Luke Romano has come through really well. He's embraced Thorny's role. Brodie Retallick as well. They both love their scrummaging and they work hard at that part of their game."

Now Franks is looking to get back in the fight himself.

"It's where we make our money.

"The tough conditions and travelling two weeks in a row and different crowds, it's good to step up and raise the bar."

Patrick McKendry flew to Argentina courtesy of LAN Airlines.