All Blacks: Henry hoping to stay up for late kickoff

The All Blacks have some experience of late kickoffs but most tests in New Zealand start at 7.30pm. Photo / Brett Phibbs

If trying to stay relaxed ahead of the biggest games of their careers isn't hard enough, the All Blacks will have to do it waiting for a game coach Graham Henry says is past his bedtime.

Both Rugby World Cup semifinals will be played at the late time of 9pm which is an illustration of television's hold on the game. It's unfriendly for families in this country but fits in with European and South African TV audiences. Last week's late quarter-finals started at 8.30pm.

"I'm usually asleep by then and somebody needs to wake me up and tell me the game is on,'' Henry quipped about the 9pm kickoff.

"It's not a joke. I guess Steve [Hansen] and Wayne [Smith] will wake me up before the game starts. I think the players will be awake. They will probably run out.''

Despite his jocularity, a late kickoff presents its own challenges. Plenty of nervous energy can be used up on the day of the game and it's not uncommon to see players cramping late in big games.

The All Blacks have some experience of late kickoffs, with many games in France starting at 9pm, but most tests in New Zealand start at 7.30pm.

"It takes a bit of getting used to,'' centre Conrad Smith said. "Seven-thirty is a long enough day and 8.30 was getting a bit stupid and now it's 9 o'clock. You just have to adapt.

"We train a bit later during the week and things like that but it's just an individual thing. You just have an extra hour or so to kill in the morning and different guys treat it differently. Some guys get out of the hotel. There are usually family and friends up watching the game and there's usually time with them. I don't think it will be too much of a problem.''

The fact it's a World Cup semifinal should snap them out of any malaise. Four All Blacks have played in one before - Richie McCaw, Keven Mealamu, Ali Williams and Brad Thorn all played against Australia in 2003 - but only three who will start against Australia (McCaw, Williams and Tony Woodcock) played in the quarter-final defeat to France four years ago.

Enough has been said about New Zealand's inability to win the World Cup since 1987 for all 22 players to be scarred in some way. Smith said the pressure being heaped on his teammates by Australia as well as an expectant New Zealand public was something they shouldn't shy away from.

"I think you acknowledge it,'' he said. "Too right there's a lot of pressure. They (Australia) would be lying to say there's no pressure on them. It's a semifinal. Every team is feeling a bit of heat but you just have to deal with it, acknowledge it and then try to get excited about it. It's an opportunity as well. It's what we play the game for.

"At the start of the World Cup, it's where we wanted to be. We have had a few knocks and lost a few soldiers along the way but this is the point we all wanted to get to - the knockout game against Australia, who we always thought we would meet at some stage. Everyone knows it's going to be a great game. All we can do is our best.''