All Blacks aim to be even more ruthless

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has fired an ominous message to France and other Test rivals in 2018, saying they plan to play at a relentless pace.

rugby

Sonny Bill Williams won't get a look in for the All Blacks in the second Test against France. (AAP)

The All Blacks have issued a warning to their international rivals, daring other teams to try to cope with their "full bore" style.

Coach Steve Hansen said the world champions want to be more ruthless in the second Test against France on Saturday despite a spectacular 52-11 series-opening win last week.

The finishing power that produced seven New Zealand tries in the last 27 minutes is the ominous blueprint of how Hansen wants his men to play.

It took time to find their rhythm at Eden Park in Auckland and wants the damage to begin earlier at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, although he accepts the stung tourists won't lie down.

However, asked if French willpower can be broken when things don't go their way, Hansen's response was unusually bold, revealing plenty about their attacking goals.

"I don't know if you break their spirit. I think you take them to places that they're not used to going to with the speed of the game," he said.

"They'll try and slow the game down, that's the pace they want to play at.

"We want to play it at full bore, with accuracy. So that's our challenge and if it comes off, it doesn't matter who you play when you play that game well. You can rip anyone apart."

For the third time in the last decade, the All Blacks will field an unchanged team for a Test. The two other occasions were both World Cup finals.

Hansen wants to forge combinations but indicated there will be selection risks taken as the year unfolds to ensure bases are covered ahead of next year's World Cup.

Changes could come as soon as next week's third Test in Dunedin, where Sonny Bill Williams remains on track to return to the midfield after undergoing minor knee surgery last month.

It is New Zealand's first Test at Wellington since last year's 24-21 loss to the British and Irish Lions.

Before that they'd won 16 on the trot in the capital.

New Zealand: Jordie Barrett, Ben Smith, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ryan Crotty, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Luke Whitelock, Sam Cane, Liam Squire, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock (capt), Owen Franks, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Res: Nathan Harris, Karl Tu'inukuafe, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Vaea Fifita, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Damian McKenzie, Ngani Laumape.


Share
3 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world
All Blacks aim to be even more ruthless | SBS News