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Good start vital to campaign

Having its first two Tri Nations Tests against South Africa at home was a big chance for New Zealand to set the pace towards winning the competition this year.

Saturday, 03 July 2010

Sportal.co.nz

Having its first two Tri Nations Tests against South Africa at home was a big chance for New Zealand to set the pace towards winning the competition this year.

With the All Blacks assembling in Auckland on Thursday coach Graham Henry said the first two Tests were vital.

"We obviously need to start well if we want to win the Tri Nations, so it is all ahead of us over the next two Saturdays," he said. The sides meet at Eden Park next Saturday and in Wellington the following weekend.

There was an undoubted increase in intensity to the preparation now that the lesser Test matches against Ireland and Wales were behind the side.

"It is stimulating to be playing the best team in the world, I think the guys are really excited about that. It's good to start at home rather than playing at altitude in South Africa so that is helpful," he said.

"We know it is a big task and we are looking forward to that task," he said.

South Africa would miss its ace halfback Fourie du Preez, who has opted to have surgery to deal with an ongoing injury, because he was the best in the world in his position, Henry said.

"He's got a very good head, knows the game. I hope he has a nice rest," Henry quipped.

The Eden Park fortress, its first big match since its revamp for the Rugby World Cup next year, is one where the home team had been unbeaten for 21 Tests, when losing to France 20-23 in 1994,but surprisingly, given the increasing number of Test matches since the advent of professionalism, Eden Park has hosted only two Tests against the Springboks, a 55-35 win for the All Blacks in 1997 and a 26-15 win in 2001.

South Africa hasn't won on the ground since 1937, a famous Test in which New Zealand suffered what still ranks as one of its worst losses. It also won the last Test of the 1921 series, the only two times South Africa has won on the ground.

But Henry said New Zealand couldn't afford to go out and defend that record. It had to go out and win by being better than South Africa.

He was mindful that the South Africans would be confident after winning the last three Tests against New Zealand and they didn't have many weaknesses. But the All Blacks were in good shape and had great respect for the Springboks, he said.

Henry said he thought the Springboks would base their game on last season's successful methods, but he also expected them to be more expansive.

While flanker Victor Vito was being nursed through a tightened calf, second five-eighths Ma'a Nonu was shaping well after returning from injury. Henry said he had kept in good shape, had rehabilitated well who was a good pro and was ready.

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