All Blacks: Dagg focused on future at the top

Israel Dagg says he is amazed at the intensity of the All Black training regime. Photo / Getty Images

A false dawn, a false read? It is the toughest part for a fledgling All Black after making the sort of quality debut six of them did last week at New Plymouth.

They all played their part in a game which became a mismatch after 15 minutes when Irish No 8 Jamie Heaslip was sent off.

They should all get a second chance tomorrow against Wales at Carisbrook, to show if they can reproduce their debut standards.

One of those new faces is Israel Dagg, the 22-year-old fullback, who glided round Yarrow Stadium in a manner which compared strongly with the injured Mils Muliaina.

"It is the challenge for any young All Black," assistant coach Wayne Smith said. "He has got to push on.

"We have seen a lot of players drop off the scene because they couldn't keep their feet on the ground or could not consistently replicate their performances.

"We have seen others like Christian Cullen who came in and lit up the stage and then went on to be one of the great attacking players I have ever seen.

"So you have got to be built for it, I am convinced of that and it is hard to know who is and who isn't until you stick them in the environment."

The All Black selectors identified Dagg about 18 months ago as someone who had international talent. They chatted to him, encouraged him and offered one strong piece of advice.

He had to get fitter and the Highlanders coaches, Glenn Moore and Peter Russell, nurtured and helped their draft fullback talent.

Dagg also helped himself. He had a lot of mates who were serious party animals. He didn't mind a good time either but knew he had to curb some of the socialising for his career.

"I just had to focus because I was a bit wayward down here," he said. "I had to knuckle down and just start being a professional and make sacrifices and get my goal to be an All Black."

It was difficult. There was a lot of peer pressure Dagg had to resist.

"But all my good mates understand I have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he added.

Dagg is weighing up ideas about shifting to another Super rugby franchise to continue his growth but will not make any decision for several months yet.

His mind is on tomorrow and the remainder of the All Black programme. It is very time-consuming.

Dagg is staggered at the work content in camp, the meetings which can stretch to several hours, the playbooks, the intensive instruction, sponsorship commitments - the whole nine yards.

"I have to do things right here in the second test," he said.

"I have to stick to my game plan, make sure I do not go into my shell and just react to the pressure because they will put up the high ball, that is their game."

He was enjoying the tuition from the national coaches. It was at another level.

"They just take everything, unravel it and put it back together, it is amazing," Dagg said.

His first test cap and jersey are safe with his mother, Horiana, but he wants tomorrow at Carisbrook to be equally memorable.

Smith thinks Dagg is on the start of a productive international voyage. He cautions that Dagg's rise has been swift and he does not have the same worldly experience as another newcomer like Benson Stanley.

"But my gut feeling is that Israel is made for the international scene and that he will cope with it and go on from here," Smith said. "It is certainly worthwhile identifying that it is a challenge and that you have to be able to rise, consistently, to that."

This week had been about encouraging more of his better moments in New Plymouth and attending to those parts of Dagg's game which were not of the same standard.

"The secret to that is keeping it factual, giving them clear figures on how their game is going and where it needs attention," Smith said.

All the new caps had shown character last week, they looked composed enough for test rugby and showed a high level of skills.

After this test, the All Black staff would have more data to gauge all their new squad members.

Test rugby, especially for the All Blacks, was like no other form of the sport. Sides knew they could lose some games in Super rugby and still make the playoffs.

"That is not life in the All Blacks," Smith said.

"It is about winning every single game and you have to be at your best to do that and that is a challenge.

"It is a tough public ask but it is, perversely, one of the strengths of All Black rugby.

"It is a great environment to coach in because the expectation is so high and there are huge standards to meet and that is what has kept the All Blacks so strong for a hundred odd years."