New Zealand All Blacks coach Steve Hansen brought in some reinforcements as his team gears up for a brutal Test against Samoa in Apia next week Wednesday.
With a number of key All Blacks involved in the Super Rugby Final between the Hurricanes and Highlanders, Hansen wanted to add some depth to the squad training in Auckland this week.
17 Members of Hansen’s 41-player squad were ruled out because of their involvement in Saturday’s Super Rugby decider.
3 More players – uncapped Chiefs midfield backs Charlie Ngatai and Seta Tamanivalu, as well as Crusaders utility Tom Taylor – have been brought into the New Zealand camp in Auckland.
With injury issues surrounding some others, Hansen initially announced 2 stand-by players – scrumhalf Andy Ellis and uncapped prop Nepo Laulala.
He had already boosted numbers last week when 3 uncapped players joined a training camp in Auckland – midfield back George Moala, scrumhalf Brad Weber and prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi.
Hansen said he is unfazed by the number of changes that have had to be made.
Speaking in Auckland on Thursday Hansen said when looking to the end of the year there were going to be some ‘massive’ challenges at the Rugby World Cup, so it was good to have some big challenges from the outset of the international season to see how everyone involved coped.
“It’s the 1st time we’ve been there as a team and that brings a massive amount of excitement to the challenge, but we’re not under any illusions that it is going to be easy. We know it is going to be tough,” Hansen told the media scrum.
“The emotion that will go through Samoa and their team, will be very, very high so if we don’t match that we could get a spanking,” he added.
While players would be missing the majority of an experienced pack would be there.
“We’ve got no excuses. Samoa won’t be looking at our teamsheet and saying: ‘He’s not playing, and he’s not playing, we’ve got a chance’.
“They’ll be concentrating on what they’ve got to do and they’ll be bringing it.”
The heat would be an issue, especially with the humidity, but the All Blacks would be prepared with ice vests and aids to counter the effect.
“We’ve just got to expect the unexpected, roll with the punches, and turn up to play,” he said.
There was a chance that some of the additional members will be included in the Test squad when the team is named on Monday.
Speaking to the newest inclusions, Hansen said Tamanivalu had a ‘fantastic’ season for Taranaki last year in the NPC, he was a strong midfielder and had a lot of pace. Due to a lack of opportunities he hadn’t been able to show out in the Super Rugby season with the Chiefs – where Sonny Bill Williams and Ngatai were favoured in front of him.
Ngatai had been playing very well and it was another example of how blessed New Zealand were with midfield options, he said.
“In most other countries he would probably already have had a Test by now,” Hansen said.
Taylor was cover in the event of injury to Dan Carter or Colin Slade at flyhalf.
There was also the consideration that Israel Dagg and Charlie Piutau would not be able to play full games.
“We always knew this was going to be a challenge, both on the park and preparing for it because the date that it falls on, which we chose, but it gives us a good build-in to Argentina and allows us to get all but 17 of the squad some training time,” he said.
While the management had not thought New Zealand would have 2 teams in the final, they had prepared for that eventuality just in case.
And the newcomers had been assisted in their exposure to the All Blacks fold.
“When you come into the All Black environment it is overwhelming whether you are the coach, a manager or a player.
“All of a sudden it is: ‘Wow, I’m in here now and I’ve actually got to do the business’.
“But at the same it is exciting because it is something that people have always wanted to do, particularly the players. As a player that is the ultimate goal and when you reach that it’s just the beginning,” Hansen said.
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