Now All Blacks will build a 'B-Team'
Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:54
Winning combination: Graham Henry and Richie McCaw. (c) Gallo
The All Blacks, with their first-choice team streets ahead of the rest, will now look to build an equally competitive back-up squad.
With the Tri-Nations trophy and Bledisloe Cup safely tucked away, the more immediate target is the 'Grand Slam' attempt on the year-end tour and a world record 19 consecutive Test wins (they stand on 14).
However, the other very important aspect is to build depth.
"One of the responsibilities over the next six months is to ensure we've got players who can play at international level going into the world cup, who are not normally starters in the team," Henry told the New Zealand media.
"So that if we get injuries in the world cup, we've got guys who've had the experience of playing at that level and have played a number of test matches.
"So there is a double-edged sword there. We need to play well and win and there is the need to develop players underneath the top 15 going forward to the world cup."
Henry also admitted that to continue winning and producing results remains a key focus for him and the side.
The 29-22 win over the Springboks at the weekend was Henry's 73rd test win since assuming command of the All Blacks, to keep his winning percentage impressively high at 85.9 percent.
"The results are important all the time," Henry said to the Sunday Star Times.
"You can't get away from wanting to play well and produce the right result. That's always in your mind.
"That won't change, that's what All Blacks rugby is all about and, as far as I'm concerned, one of my responsibilities is to work with other people and try to ensure we get the right results and try to play well."
The All Blacks will play England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales to attempt the Slam, while they will play the Wallabies in Hong Kong in what could be the last "neutral" Bledisloe with the calendar filling up with an extended Super Rugby tournament and Tri-Nations in the coming years.
While no doubt the first goal will be to achieve Test wins and perhaps for just the fourth time in history record a touring sweep of the Home Nations, Henry said that there will be room for development on the All Blacks end-of-year-tour.
"We'll take 30 players on the end-of-year tour and we want to make sure they get an opportunity to develop on that tour, so they need to play and we've got five Test matches.
"After that we've got a truncated Tri-Nations where we play home and away against Australia and South Africa, then two weeks later we're into the World Cup.
"The Tri-Nations next year will be about building the team and trying to get better with each game you play, so that you reach the world cup in good shape. That's what I think will be the major focus of the Tri-Nations next year."
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