Italy dim All Blacks' Tri-Nations hopes
Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:36
Making choices: All Black coach Graham Henry
All Blacks coach Graham Henry admitted his side's four-year grip on the Tri-Nations crown looked shaky after comparing their weekend win over Italy against the triumphs of South Africa and Australia.
"Obviously, we've got a big challenge ahead," said Henry after the All Blacks' stumbling 27-6 victory Saturday over the Six-Nations wooden-spooners.
On the same night, Tri-Nations rivals Australia and South Africa faced more demanding opposition and came away with impressive wins.
Australia were convincing 22-6 victors over France -- who had just squared a series against New Zealand -- while South Africa rallied to beat the British and Irish Lions 28-25.
The All Blacks, the top-ranked team in the world, have long dominated the Tri-Nations, winning the prestigious southern hemisphere competition nine times in its 13-year history, including the last four titles.
But on Saturday the class of 2009 were only a shadow of previous sides as they struggled against 12th-ranked Italy, and Henry admitted the All Blacks had gone backwards since beating France the previous week in Wellington.
"I thought we played with a lot of passion and physicality in the last game against France," he said.
"But we went back a couple of steps tonight. That's disappointing. We were hoping to build on the Wellington performance, and we haven't done that. That puts pressure on the coaches to get it right over the next three weeks."
Television cameras caught an animated Henry laying down the law to his side at half-time, when the All Blacks led Italy 13-3, but after a barely improved second spell the coach accepted his side were not Tri-Nations favourites.
"We've had these challenges before and I think we've got the character to pull together and meet them head on and do what we have to do," Henry said.
"As long as we give it 100 percent and work hard I'm sure that we can play some decent football in the Tri-Nations."
Captain Mils Muliaina said the players had put pressure on themselves with poor decision-making and "we're going to have to be a whole lot better than this if we want to compete in the Tri-Nations."
Assistant coach Steve Hansen said one positive was that there were no more injuries and several frontline All Blacks who have been sidelined should be fit for the All Blacks' first Tri-Nations Test, against Australia on July 18.
They include talismanic skipper Richie McCaw, backrower Rodney So'oialo, centre Conrad Smith and wing Sitiveni Sivivatu.
But Hansen would not use the selection of several second-tier players, including five on debut, as an excuse for the sub-par performance against Italy.
"We made some poor decisions at times and we didn't show good execution of our skills," he said.
"We've learned a lot about some of the players and lot of the players have learned a lot about Test rugby and how to prepare for it and how not to prepare for it.
"There will be some hard work before we go into the Tri-Nations."
The All Blacks Tri-Nations squad will be named next Saturday.
AFP
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