All Blacks told to remember 1983

MELBOURNE - The All Blacks will be reminded of 1983 when they head to Britain and Ireland later this week seeking their second grand slam, assistant coach Wayne Smith said on Monday.

A 35-man squad was named on Sunday for the four-test tour and, like their side 22 years ago, the All Blacks are fresh off a comprehensive demolition of a combined British and Irish Lions team in the New Zealand winter.

Smith, however, said the class of 2005 need only look at 1983 when New Zealand beat the Lions 4-0 then drew with Scotland and lost to England on their end of season tour.

"There is an understanding here that it will be bloody tough," Smith said.

"I was involved in 1983 when we beat the Lions fairly convincingly and when we toured at the end of the year we drew with Scotland and lost to England.

"We found ... that the individual nations played with a ferocity and patriotism that we didn't quite expect.

"Patriotism is a hard thing to manufacture. It's in your bones and it's intangible and you can't mistake it.

"Each of the nations are going to want to knock us over ... (and) we have to go and realise that and ... set ourselves up for what will be bloody tough games."

Smith said the All Blacks had also been made aware that several of the Lions who lost the test series 3-0 earlier this year may have points to prove, while others who did not make the tour would also want to do well.

"There are some pretty strong players there. You look at someone like Ryan Jones who made a huge impression over here and he might not be there." The Wales loose forward has a shoulder injury.

"But then you have someone like (2001 Lion) Colin Charvis coming in.

"A lot of players were Down Under over summer and will be harbouring notions of revenge no doubt.

"There is not going to be any easy options over there and I don't care who is playing, they're going to have a real crack at us."

New Zealand play Six Nations champions Wales on November 6, followed by Ireland on November 13, England on the 20th and Scotland on November 27th (alll dates NZT).

The All Blacks have only once before won a grand slam, tour victories against all four national sides, in 1978.

- REUTERS