All Blacks relaxed after blowout

All Black halfback Jimmy Cowan could find himself back in the starting side this weekend. Photo / Getty Images

DURBAN - The coaches have been patient and the videotape encouraging as the All Blacks today began the physical preparation for their shot at rugby revenge on the Springboks here this weekend.

A light session of soccer and touch rugby in suburban Durban is the forerunner for what shapes as a much more physical week of training than what unfolded ahead of the 28-19 loss at Bloemfontein.

Every player took part in the blowout with the exception of tighthead prop Neemia Tialata, who strolled the grounds at Glenwood High School, testing out the strained knee that is expected to rule him out.

Captain Richie McCaw trained despite the shoulder blow he received during the loss while first five-eighth Stephen Donald sat out the latter part, simply to rest a body that was sore after tackling a raft of Springboks in his defensive channel at Bloemfontein.

Winger Joe Rokocoko said another week together was like gold as they had time to better prepare physically and tactically.

The coaches had also been positive, rather than conduct a witch hunt to find where things went wrong in the nine-point loss.

Even head coach Graham Henry had resisted a crack post-test.

"We were waiting for that, especially going into the changing room," Rokocoko said.

"To our surprise he was quite positive. He said he doesn't have to worry about the attitude and determination of playing hard, it's just the clinical stuff and finishing off opportunities."

The players' mood brightened further when the coaches played selected footage of the test which showed how many chances went begging.

"It (the footage) is the bigger picture and we had more opportunities to run through gaps or find space. We're confident that maybe we can play better this week."

Rokocoko believed the All Blacks backline play had reached nowhere near its peak so far this season. Each of the five tests to date would struggle to garner a decent mark out of 10 for the backline, the veteran winger said.

"On most days we've been five or six. It's been scratchy, we've either lost the ball or we've got the ball and we've kicked to re-gather again," he said.

"Momentum hasn't really built up."

A surprise recall on the right wing in place of Cory Jane last week, Rokocoko seems likely to keep his place.

If there is any change to the backs when the team is announced tomorrow morning (NZT) it may be at halfback, where Jimmy Cowan shapes as a logical replacement for the out-of-sorts Brendon Leonard.

The coaches may also be tempted to inject the class of Luke McAlister into the fray. That could come at the expense of second five-eighth Ma'a Nonu, who hasn't been at his dynamic best in recent tests.

Conditions in Durban are far hotter than at altitude and nobody was feeling it more today than New Zealand Rugby Union chairman Jock Hobbs, the former All Blacks captain taking a full part in training and often left gasping during breaks.

- NZPA