"I back my coach, back my skip, back my players 100 per cent, side by side," Ardie Savea. Photo / Photosport
"I back my coach, back my skip, back my players 100 per cent, side by side," Ardie Savea. Photo / Photosport
Try as they might to block out mounting external noise, the All Blacks do not exist in a sound-proof bunker.
In a pressure-filled week such as this, following the stigma of being the first All Blacks team to lose to Ireland at home, senior players are adept at listening tothose they trust and largely discarding other views.
In the age of all-consuming social media, though, it's impossible to escape widespread images, headlines, comments and criticism.
Ardie Savea has seen the latter in the wake of the 23-12 defeat in Dunedin, where the world-class loose forward spent the last 45 minutes confined to the sideline after a spate of cards against the All Blacks and confusion around replacements which is believed to have been an officiating error.
Asked for his view on the public criticism directed at the All Blacks coaching staff, Savea backed those in charge to respond for this week's series decider.
"I try to stay away from that but I'd be lying if I'm scrolling through Instagram and you see that stuff. That's the reality of our job and what we do in the jersey," Savea said as the All Blacks settled into Wellington, where they have won just one of their past five tests, on Monday.
"It does hurt because we are a family here but with everything that's happened we've got each other's backs. People perceive what they see but they don't know what goes on inside. I back my coach, back my skip, back my players 100 per cent, side by side.
"I love being written off. After a performance like that we know what we need to do, we learn from it. Now it's about embracing the challenge. And what a week to do it in Wellington.
"It does hurt being the first All Blacks team to let an Irish team win here, being part of that it does hurt. That's something we'll hold on to and use to hopefully help us be best prepared for Saturday."
"I back my coach, back my skip, back my players 100 per cent, side by side," Ardie Savea. Photo / Photosport
The All Blacks internal review was not pleasant viewing. Watching from the bench in Dunedin, Savea initially struggled to push aside his frustration but as he reflected on the panicked attacking performance, while one man short in the second half, clear elements of improvement were evident.
"We're very motivated," Savea said. "After the weekend we're disappointed. It hurt a lot. This morning we've taken it in, looking at the game. Hopefully we can nullify a few things because it's going to be massive.
"We couldn't hold on to the ball through basic errors. Ireland were too good on the night. They came with a game plan and put us under immense pressure and we couldn't handle it. That's tough to swallow. We want to go out and represent the black jersey ... to put something out like that it hurts.
"When we played tighter and went to our lineout and drives it worked well but we couldn't hold on to the ball. When we did get it, we turned it over and that was due to Ireland's pressure. When they were attacking their intent was more than we had. It was tough watching the game but to be better we've got to learn and grow."
While the public expectations on the All Blacks fuel demands for an immediate response, Savea indicated the desire to uphold those who have been before and set the bar offered a more powerful sense of motivation.
"There's always noise from the outside when you're representing the black jersey that comes with it. That's the standard of the legacy and past players put upon it.
"For us it's about staying tight, connected and trusting what we do have and taking it day by day. No one else outside is going to help us put out a good performance that has to come from within each individual in this team. That's a great challenge, and something I think we can walk towards and embrace this week.
The All Blacks record in the capital, particularly when compared with Eden Park's fortress reputation, does not evoke confidence. After two draws, two losses and one win from their past five tests here, the All Blacks need to claim their first victory since defeating a 14-man French side in 2018 to square the series.
"I didn't even know that stat. I don't know what it is but we've got a lot to play for so hopefully we can make that better this weekend."
