All Blacks: Henry embarks on road to redemption (+photos)

Graham Henry has had little time to prepare for the test against Ireland. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Photos: All Blacks training session

June ordinarily offers little appeal to All Blacks fans but 2008 is no ordinary season, thanks to the hangover from last year's World Cup.

The All Blacks calendar generally starts with a northern hemisphere opponent wearied by a long club rugby grind, undermanned and unenthused.

Home Unions routinely sent down `C' or at best `B' teams shorn of their established stars, so the All Blacks romp to victory in a perfunctory tune-up before the Tri-Nations.

Not this year, with the impact of the World Cup catastrophe in Cardiff last November still keenly felt, one side effect being a noticeable drop off in Super 14 crowds.

For the All Blacks, and especially head coach Graham Henry, the road to redemption starts in Wellington on Saturday night against an Irish side close to optimum strength.

How the new look All Blacks - there are a half dozen new caps so far - are embraced in three tests against the Irish and World Cup runners-up England this month will be of great interest to a New Zealand Rugby Union desperate to restore some prestige.

Henry, whose retention vexed many, faces a potentially tricky task - minimal preparation time and opponents that surely recognise their golden opportunity for an upset.

Whether Ireland, yet to better a 10-10 draw with the All Blacks at Dublin in 1973, are equipped to break their duck in the 103rd year of rivalry remains to be seen.

But if Brian O'Driscoll's men are able to create history, then the pressure on the All Blacks' coaching trio will intensify.

Like their hosts, Irish rugby is also emerging from a period of turmoil. Their performance in France actually plumbed depths lower than the All Blacks, given the hype enveloping them before fatal losses to Argentina and France.

Failing to make it out of pool play soon after coach Eddie O'Sullivan was handed a four-year extension to his term led to gnashing of teeth in emerald rugby circles.

When the Six Nations also amounted to a fourth-placed flop O'Sullivan fell on his sword in March - a sacrifice many had expected Henry to make.

Declan Kidney was appointed O'Sullivan's successor, though strangely he has opted to absent himself on this trip, preferring instead to quiz Super 14 coaches on the experimental law variations (Elvs).

Caretaker coach Michael Bradley will prime the side for tests at Wellington Stadium - Ireland's 21st against the All Blacks - and a week later against Australia in Melbourne.

He at least has the comfort in babysitting a tour party brimming with personnel from Heineken Cup champions Munster and powerhouse Leinster.

Gordon D'Arcy is the only high profile player not to travel.

A rebuilding England have adopted the same tact by endeavouring to land in Auckland with their strongest available side - and also without their coach.

World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson takes over from Brian Ashton only on July 1 - and the impending birth of his second child would have kept him up in Leicestershire regardless.

That leaves Rob Andrew, the Rugby Football Union's director of elite rugby, with the reins for tests at Auckland's Eden Park and AMI Stadium in Christchurch.

Johnson did pick the squad and included six new caps, a figure than rose to seven when Dominic Waldouck replaced Dan Hipkiss - who was called in when talented pivot Danny Ciprani sustained a ghastly ankle injury when playing for Wasps.

Wing Paul Sackey joined Hipkiss as casualties during last weekend's English premiership final.

Tom Varndell replaces Sackey while Andrew was relieved Charlie Hodgson made the plane after having his head accidentally opened by Jerry Collins, guesting for the Barbarians.

Hodgson's availability is an imperative after Ciprani and Jonny Wilkinson, again, succumbed to injury. The experienced Harry Ellis, Lewis Moody, Simon Shaw, Josh Lewsey and James Simpson-Daniel are also missing, yet the English arguably bring their strongest side south since they kicked off the 2003 World Cup-winning year with victories in Wellington and Melbourne.

Of the new faces, Rotorua-born hooker Dylan Hartley holds an obvious appeal.

The 22-year-old was closing in fast on a World Cup spot until he was banned for 26 weeks for gouging during a premiership match with Wasps.

His Northampton side were relegated shortly afterwards, but he remained on the radar of Johnson, no shrinking violet himself during an uncompromising career.

ALL BLACKS v IRELAND

Played 20
New Zealand won 19, Ireland won 0, drawn 1
First test: New Zealand 15 Ireland 0 at Dublin, November 15, 1905
Latest test: New Zealand 27 Ireland 17 at Auckland, June 17, 2006

Biggest winning margin:
New Zealand - 53 points, 59-6 at Wellington, 1992

Biggest winning streak:
New Zealand - 14 (1974-06)

Best Irish result:
10-10 at Dublin, 1973

Test points:
New Zealand 517, Ireland 199

ALL BLACKS v ENGLAND

Played 29
New Zealand won 22, England won 6, drawn 1
First test: New Zealand 15 England 0 at London, December 2, 1905
Latest test: New Zealand 41 England 20 at London, November 5, 2006
Latest England victory: 15-13 at Wellington, 2003

Biggest winning margin:
New Zealand - 42 points, 64-22 at Dunedin, 1998
England - 13 points, 13-0 at London, 1936

Biggest winning streaks:
New Zealand - 6 tests (1954-73)
England - 2 tests (2002-03)

Test points:
New Zealand 652, England 364

- NZPA