All Blacks out to make a statement

MARC HINTON IN LONDON

Last updated 05:00 12/11/2013


This isn't personal, says Steve Hansen, and you half believe him.

This week against England is not about Hansen getting square with the only loss of his career as All Blacks head coach, it's about the world's best rugby team reaching for its destiny.

And if Hansen happens to secure a bit of payback in the process, you figure that he'll write that off as one of the perks of the job.

At least that was the message being portrayed yesterday as the All Blacks hit London for the match of the November rugby calendar. Irresistible force and immovable object doing battle in another of those battles you can't sell enough tickets for.

The All Blacks, all told, are in pretty good shape for this non-personal clash against the confident English at Twickers on Sunday. There are no injuries to speak of, they have Dan Carter about to play his 100th test and they have an entire team desperate to right the only wrong of the last two years.

They also have another of those beautiful selection quandaries brewing, with the classy Cory Jane on the verge of being shut out of a team he was an automatic selection for before he blew his knee out.

Jane's right now, but he's just not right at the top of his game. How could you be, three games into your rugby season? And across the way rookie sensation Charles Piutau is playing like he's the second coming of Jeff Wilson, popping up and turning everything into gold.

But the first thing Hansen wanted to make clear after arriving in England was that this week is not about him in any way shape or form, never mind last year's defeat on Twickenham that brought a dark shroud on an otherwise brilliant season.

"It's not about me, it's about all of us," said the man who was said to have taken England's joyous celebrations last year very hard indeed. "The All Blacks is way bigger than one person, and the day I start thinking about myself will be the day I say I'm not here.

"Collectively there's enough there anyway. We got beaten by them last time we played them, so the challenge for us is to see if we can be good enough to beat them this time."

Hansen is right in one aspect. This is not about anything he has to prove - he's won 23 of his 25 tests as All Blacks coach, and if England are the sole blot on his copybook, it's barely noticeable.

But, still, he has his part to play. If not to prove, to improve. This is an All Blacks team that took a step backwards in terms of form on Saturday night in Paris, and there is some work to do on the training fields this week.

The level the team played at against a competitive French outfit will quite simply be not good enough this week. They were off in so many things they did against a French side that took them out of their comfort zone. But the message from within is very much one of small adjustments this week.

"From a physical point of view we're in great shape, and mentally I think we're in great shape," said Hansen, who has no injury worries to speak of. "There is a massive desire within the group to strive to keep improving themselves.

"We had 12 out of 15 having their first game for about three weeks, and we knew we wouldn't be as sharp as we probably could be, hence our timing at times yesterday and our running lines at times weren't quite right.

"Some of that goes down to pressure the French put on us and some of it was a bit of rustiness from not playing every Saturday. But we've now had that game and I'm expecting us to improve a lot on that performance." So is the country. Last week there was a lot wrong with the All Blacks game - the scrum, the rhythm and flow of the attack, the execution, the breakdown - and the adjustments are expected to be made.

One thing that is clearly there is the motivation and focus. The All Blacks have two tests to tuck away the perfect year that clearly drives them. They also have a chance to serve an ice cool dish that they call revenge.

That's without even starting with the feeling that will be there around Carter's 100th this weekend. All Blacks like to mark milestones like Lady Gaga likes to dress up, and the majestic five-eighth has about as much respect within this all-conquering squad as anyone.

It's a week very much about the All Blacks delivering a statement. Fairfax NZ

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/a...ke-a-statement