All Blacks: Cool Sam Whitelock switches from party to test mode

Sam Whitelock of the Crusaders. Super Rugby Quarter-Final match between Crusaders and Highlanders. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

Crusaders skipper Sam Whitelock believes he and his teammates in the All Blacks have drawn a line under their Super Rugby season, one that culminated in a championship victory after a nine-year title drought which kicked off celebrations which apparently lasted a whole week in Christchurch for some.

For Whitelock and men such as All lacks captain Kieran Read, there were no such frivolities. They arrived home from Johannesburg and their final against the Lions last Monday and were in camp with the national team on Thursday.

Now they are in Sydney preparing to do battle with a Wallabies team who know a thing or two about title droughts themselves. They haven't held the Bledisloe Cup since 2003 and will be particularly keen to right the perceived wrongs of this time last year when they were thrashed 42-8 by the All Blacks in Sydney.

For Whitelock, the transition from party mode to test week has been a relatively straightforward one. "Obviously we had a couple of days after we got back to Christchurch," he said. "It was great to spend time with the whole squad - the guys who didn't travel to South Africa. It was the easiest way to put it to bed. We've all gone back to other teams, either here with the All Blacks or other provincial sides. It's actually a lot easier than you think to finish and then move on to the next chapter.

"After the game the emotions are there, but once we got back to New Zealand everyone knew what was happening so the boys who knew they had to get their body right and recover, they did that, and the guys that had a little bit more time probably relaxed a bit longer."

The 28-year-old, a veteran of 88 tests, has had some year with the red and blacks. His leadership role helped him take his renowned consistency to a new level and he appears a logical choice for All Blacks captain should Read be absent for any reason.

The Crusaders were able to win from seemingly any position and their coolness under fire at Ellis Park as the Lions began their inevitable comeback was a credit to Whitelock's ability to keep a level head and lead from the front.

"Mentally durable would be a good way to describe him," All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster said. "He doesn't get flustered. Not a lot of things take his eyes off what his next job is. I think that's probably his greatest strength. He's good at what he does with his roles but it's the fact he can stay focused on that for long periods of the game is what is key.

"They [Crusaders] came [into camp last] Thursday after arriving in the country on Monday night so in some ways it's a big ask and there's a few negatives with the travel and what they've done but there are also massive positives," Foster said. "They've had a goal and they've achieved it so they bring that self-belief and confidence in the camp.

"We didn't use them in the game on Friday and gave them a chance to sit back and watch and often the best way to mentally charge up a player is to see someone else play in your position in your team. It's interesting to see how quickly it comes back. To a man they've trained really well and integrated just as everyone else has."