All Blacks silliness sets in with only days to go

Ali Williams and Sonny Bill Williams are given a quick photography lesson - and get a good snap of Israel Dagg. Photo / Richard Robinson

The All Blacks showed signs of restlessness yesterday as they had their first full training run four days out from the Rugby World Cup final.

After training in squally showers at Waitakere Trusts Stadium, Sonny Bill Williams, Ali Williams and Stephen Donald - still wet and with towels around their waists - faced the press.

The two Williamses apparently decided to switch identities as they answered questions for each other after a series of exaggerated whispers.

"Ali said, 'Our feet are definitely on the ground'," was the second-hand answer to one question.

Some journalists were unimpressed by the joke which appeared to have been brought on by cabin fever in the team under the kind of intense media scrutiny that accompanies a World Cup final.

Certainly the questions being asked of the All Blacks have remained the same - how do they combat complacency and deal with the unpredictability of the French?

"We are in a World Cup final and we're treating it as that but obviously we don't want to play our game on Wednesday, Sunday is a long way away yet," Donald said.

"We know we're in a World Cup final and we're all pumped and excited about it but we're just going to cruise through the week and build as we go."

While the All Blacks seemed tired of talking about Sunday's final, the energy and high spirits demonstrated on the training field outside showed the excitement was definitely there.

Sonny Bill Williams continued his clowning, borrowing a photographer's camera to snap shots of Israel Dagg and others practising their kicks on the field below.

After the team run, the All Blacks continued planning and gym sessions yesterday afternoon.

They will have a chance to escape the goldfish bowl of cup final week tomorrow with a day off training and media duties.

This week hooker Andrew Hore said he was thinking about going hunting with front-row teammate Tony Woodcock and other All Blacks went fishing on their day off last week.

Number eight Kieran Read, one of the next lot of players to face the press pack, yesterday said he was looking forward to spending time with his wife and baby and "just chilling out".

Read said trainings had been lighter this week in an effort to keep the players fresh at the end of a long World Cup campaign.

But he admitted even if players were carrying niggles they weren't likely to make a fuss over them given the game on Sunday would be the biggest of their careers.

"I think a final would take care of itself in terms of your body and being able to run through different injuries. The excitement's definitely going to be there come Sunday."