Learning lessons
Ireland's Sean Cronin, left, John Muldoon and David Wallace in action during training ahead of their match against New Zealand next Saturday. DAVID ROWLAND/SPORTSFILE
THE weather here may be 'cat' in Irish terms but things are hotting up nicely ahead of Saturday's Test between the All Blacks and Ireland in New Plymouth.
Despite both camps having to cope with extensive injury lists, allied to a disappointing Super 14 season for the Kiwis and a daunting assignment at the end of a long and arduous season for the Irish, it is fair to say that there is a collective enthusiasm for this encounter.
New Zealand's first international of the season is always going to excite interest in this oval-obsessed nation, particularly with the clutch of new players in their side, while the prospect of facing the only major international side Ireland have never defeated is a massive incentive for the visitors.
And there has been a dash of spice added to the mix also. Graham Henry's jibe at northern hemisphere referees was perhaps not the wisest verbal manoeuvre, given his history with Saturday's match official Wayne Barnes.
The Englishman famously received death threats from this part of the world after taking charge of New Zealand's quarter-final defeat to France at the last World Cup and there is considerable wariness at how Barnes will referee the tackle/breakdown area, in particular.
Broadsides
There have also been several broadsides directed at the Irish in the local media regarding their decision to base themselves in Auckland until Thursday while the All Blacks have been in New Plymouth since Sunday evening. Ireland manager Paul McNaughton was quick to put that one to bed yesterday.
"We're going to be in New Plymouth for three nights and Auckland for four," said McNaughton.
"There are two things: one, the recovery issue is a major issue. We played Friday against the Barbarians at eight o'clock. By the time the guys got back to the hotel it was near 12. Most of the guys who played still had the adrenalin running and didn't get a lot of sleep.
"We were up at five o'clock in the morning to get a seven o'clock flight. We were 29 hours on two planes so the concept was getting to Auckland late, too late to fly on; and from a recovery point of view, we felt that the best thing to do would be to spend the first three days in Auckland and then go to New Plymouth.
"The other issue is that in the World Cup we'll be playing a game in Auckland, we'll be playing a game in New Plymouth and we'll be playing a game in Rotorua. So the opportunity to spend some time in Auckland acclimatises us to what's on offer here; and we then go to New Plymouth. We're happy that we made the right call on that."
As ever in this country ahead of a Test match, the locals -- from the guy at airport customs, to the taxi driver and hotel concierge -- are quick to inform you that the All Blacks' opponents will be tilting at windmills come kick-off time and that attitude is particularly prevalent on this occasion, given the absence of such luminaries as Paul O'Connell, Stephen Ferris, Jerry Flannery, Luke Fitzgerald and Keith Earls.
However, the Irish have their own targets for Saturday and, while aware of the 105-year history that hangs over this fixture, they are determined not to allow it weigh too heavily on them.
"That's not really in the forefront of our minds," stressed flanker David Wallace. "Every time you play the All Blacks it's a huge challenge in itself, in terms of just playing them physically and skilfully. We just have to focus on the processes that we have to go through and make sure that we know all the calls, we know what we're doing pattern-wise and we hope to fulfil all those things that we say we're going to do.
"It's about trying to win the game at the end of the day but first of all we do those things. That's our focus at the moment. Getting side-tracked with creating history and all that (is no good). Just playing the All Blacks and trying to do that is enough in itself."
The rustiness factor is one that has caught New Zealand out before, notably last June when France recorded a memorable 27-22 victory in Dunedin, but backs coach Alan Gaffney says Ireland cannot rely on that in New Plymouth.
"Obviously, it's their first game together for a period of time. It's the same for all sides. When teams from here travel over for the November series, we haven't been together from that point in time for almost eight months," he said.
"You do realise that you're going to be a bit rusty. There will be some new faces in the All Blacks side and some very valued members of the squad missing. But irrespective of that, we still expect a challenge, we do watch the Super 14, we are stay very much involved with what's happening every weekend.
"So you do understand the form of players. And while they have only just got back together you would still expect a very strong performance on the weekend. France played very well over here in both Tests, won one of the two but the All Blacks got their revenge in the winter."
The (non-Test) defeat to the Barbarians last week followed Ireland's crushing disappointment at coughing up a Triple Crown by losing to Scotland in March but Wallace is adamant that there is no question of a lack of morale, even with the injuries dogging the squad.
"It's a long time since I can remember that we went and lost games back-to-back," said Wallace (the last occasion was in 2008 when Ireland lost to England, New Zealand and Australia in succession). "But I wouldn't say that the mood is down. We do want to set things right. Coming to New Zealand is a huge challenge -- playing the All Blacks here in New Zealand. We'll obviously just have to learn lessons from those last two games and just focus on putting it right."
- H Farrelly
Irish Independent
