Gregor Paul and Patrick McKendry discuss the All Blacks team announcement.
To paraphrase the late, great boxing trainer Cus D'Amato, this week will end with the Crusaders and Hurricanes trying to hit each other with bad intentions in what will be a defining Super Rugby regular season match, and it has started with the All Blacks in the two teams training and in many cases rooming together.
That amounts to 18 men – 10 from the Crusaders and eight from the Hurricanes – awkwardly tiptoeing around a highly anticipated fixture in Christchurch on Friday as they train together in Auckland with the national team ahead of next month's test series against France.
The Crusaders top the table, with the Hurricanes only a point behind despite playing one fewer game. There is no doubt the winner at AMI Stadium will take a big step towards qualifying for a potential home final – pure gold in the context of this competition – so the stakes could hardly be higher.
The players disperse on Tuesday afternoon, but for the opposition players to mix together so freely only days from the match is a different dynamic and a modern reality in a country in which the All Blacks reign supreme.
"At the moment we're in an All Black camp - it's just a mindset shift in a couple of days' time," Hurricanes' first-five Beauden Barrett said. "But it's the same for both teams. It's exciting - it's obviously a big game on Friday."
All Blacks gym session ahead of the upcoming test series against France. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
His opposite at the Crusaders, Richie Mo'unga, said: "It has its challenges but I guess being in this environment, we're in the same team at this stage … and everything we're doing in this camp is for the team in June. There is banter going around which is fun."
The Crusaders will be without their two All Blacks props – Joe Moody and Owen Franks – who have been suspended following retrospective red cards but they have been boosted by the appearance of skipper Sam Whitelock, who had concussion last week, and such is their depth the defending champions will still back themselves to put the squeeze on the Hurricanes pack like they did in this fixture last year, a grinding slog which the Crusaders won 20-12.
It was a match characterised by the home side's defensive line speed which effectively shut down Barrett – a tactic also used by the British & Irish Lions in the test series a few weeks later – and so it was instructive to hear from the All Blacks playmaker today that Steve Hansen and Ian Foster are attempting to bring in innovations in this area for the France series.
Shannon Frizell and Luke Whitelock.
All Blacks gym session ahead of the upcoming test series against France. Photo / Photosport.
"There's always innovation when it comes to Fozzie and Steve," Barrett said. "You'll gradually see it over the next few weeks – I don't want to give away too much.
"It's about us challenging ourselves, particularly around our skillsets, but also some structural changes.
"Everyone's picking up on the idea of line speed and teams are getting better and better at defending that way.
"You have to be innovative in how you attack that. It's a continuous thing and everyone around the world is trying to do that. We've got our ideas and we're looking forward to implementing them on the training field."
For the uncapped Mo'unga the next few days are about challenging himself and 62-test Barrett and fellow back-up Damian McKenzie, who has played 12 tests.
The 24-year-old Mo'unga was in the All Black environment late last year after a standout season and his skills were on full display at Eden Park during the Crusaders' victory over the Blues last weekend. He is continuing to develop and after an early season jaw injury he is feeling fresh at just the right time.
"There's going to be great competition and that's got to be healthy for the team," he said of the first-five battle. "I didn't come in here to make up numbers or hold a hit shield, I definitely want to give it a good crack.
"I've come back at a time of the year when the boys are a bit banged up and fatigued, so I've come in with a bit of energy and new ideas."
