All Blacks home for rest … and worry

SUN CITY - The All Blacks go into a two-month international recess not pushing any panic buttons but well aware of the danger signals sounded by their shock 21-20 Tri-Nations defeat to the Springboks.

Their jittery lineout, a huge part of the modern game, is blaring the loudest.

After nine tests in 12 weeks, the All Blacks flew home for rest periods ranging from two weeks for wing Sitiveni Sivivatu to five weeks for captain Richie McCaw, before the selectors name their squad for the November tour of Europe after next month's Air New Zealand Cup final.

Forwards coach Steve Hansen identified mental anxiety among his forwards as a major issue with the lineout.

"When you're under the cosh there is a mental side to it and that creates a bit of anxiety," Hansen said.

"Yesterday we started well, we lost a few in the middle then we came right again at the end. We've just got to get it right for 80 minutes. But we've definitely got the right players."

Asked how they would address this before the tour of England, France and Wales, Hansen said team psychologist Gilbert Enoka would be called upon.

"That's Bert's job, he's the head coach. You've just got to keep giving them confidence and self belief and make sure they don't read too many papers or watch too many news reports."

The break would be most important to freshen up mentally, rather than physically, Hansen said, after the intensity of test week build-ups.

The lineout has continually struggled against the Springboks, who are experts at the craft. England coach Andy Robinson will already be planning his strategy with his beanpoles for the Twickenham test before a likely 80,000 crowd on November 5.

Hansen said the All Blacks accepted the lineout wasn't their strong suit, that they weren't as tall as the South Africans, but it was a trade-off for having a faster forward pack.

"A good big guy is going to beat a good little guy, and that's something that we give up because we've got mobility around the park. We've got to get better technically so we can cope with these fellas."

He said part of that was putting more emphasis on the lineouts at provincial level, more contesting of opponents' throws and trying to raise their average success rates, which were about 70 per cent.

- NZPA