KEY POINTS:
TOULOUSE - Enough is enough. Jerry Collins says it's time the All Blacks started playing like would-be rugby world champions.
It's only Romania tomorrow and three figures will be threatened on Le Stadium Toulouse scoreboard, as was achieved against Portugal when Collins last led the team two weeks
ago.
He won't bother to look as the numbers turn over.
Like his coaches and teammates this week, the tough flanker has called for serious improvement from the disjointed defeat of a weak Scottish side last weekend.
It is crucial impetus is created heading into a match the likes of which they haven't gone close to sampling at this tournament - a quarterfinal in Cardiff, probably against France.
Collins laces his message with a reality All Blacks supporters won't want to hear.
"After this week it could all be over the following week," he said.
"Next week you'll be talking about how we've gone home."
The fact that the bulk of tomorrow's starting 15 won't line up in Cardiff is irrelevant.
"I suppose you use these games to figure out how you get it right on the day," Collins said.
"Hopefully Saturday will be much better than last Saturday because we really need to start kicking into gear and working towards a quarterfinal."
The manner, rather than the size, of victory is all important.
And that means not ditching the daring attitude seen at Edinburgh, just executing it better.
Pushing passes and forgetting core work at the breakdown was a common theme, something that Collins is out to nip in the bud.
"It's not from a lack of trying. We're trying to play some footy and at the moment it's just the little things that are letting us down," Collins said.
"There aren't many teams trying to move the ball, at the moment there seems to be a lot of bombs.
"At the moment we're trying to play our style of game ... but we probably haven't mastered it yet."
The value of handing the entire squad two days off this week will be of some interest.
On the same Tuesday that Romania were slogging out a narrow four-point defeat of Portugal, the All Blacks were relaxing anywhere they wanted in France, doing anything they pleased.
Such are the discrepancies between the haves and have-nots in international rugby.
That is of no concern to New Zealand coach Graham Henry, whose patience appears to have been tested in the past week - firstly by his top team's troubles against Scotland and then the reaction to it from the New Zealand media and public, which has been far from positive.
Yesterday, when Henry wasn't explaining his strategy of giving every player an even go through pool play, he was outlining the key facets of play that must be handled better this weekend.
"Our tackle area wasn't as efficient as it has been," he said.
Henry sought improvement with and without the ball at the breakdown plus a number of related areas.
"Our structure to attack, our ball presentation at the tackle," he said.
"Our ability to handle slow ball. Our ability to decrease the number of mistakes we're making."
It's a checklist that won't be easy to tick off given this week's shortened buildup, which has involved just two days preparing for a Romanian side who are expected to be physical but limited when the pace lifts.
A question mark hangs over whether All Blacks lock Keith Robinson will handle that same speed and the physical strain to his left calf, which he has spent nearly a month trying to get right.
The fact the coaches never called for a standby lock in that is testament to how highly they rate the Waikato enforcer.
The way assistant coach Steve Hansen spoke, Robinson could yet fight his way into the quarterfinal lineup.
"We have a huge amount of respect for what he does just to get on the park," Hansen said.
"That's followed up by what he does on the park. He's a genuine warrior and he gives you 100 per cent every time he plays, of whatever he's got to left.
"The players respect that."
With Collins in a focused mood and Robinson out to make up for lost time, it could be a long afternoon for Romanian rugby.
- NZPA
