Rugby: All Black pack will dominate - coach

Head coach Graham Henry (right) and forwards coach Steve Hansen. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Game on. There was no caution from the All Blacks, no first test wait and see words from forwards coach Steve Hansen as he predicted his pack would dominate Ireland on Saturday.

Hansen was straight on to the front foot returning to work with the forwards after tutoring the backs on the last tour.

Hansen laid down the challenge to his pack and Ireland yesterday as he talked through the scenarios before the All Blacks open their 14-test campaign in New Plymouth.

"We've got a pretty experienced tight five going on the track," he said. "It has got a really good balance of raw aggression and smarts.

"So I think if we have the right mindset, which I think we are starting to grow in momentum over the week in camp, I think we can physically dominate Ireland with that tight five."

Ireland would look to counter and that should provoke a strong contest.

The All Black pack has the combined experience of 251 caps even with new loosehead prop Ben Franks making his debut against John Hayes who has collected 102 for Ireland.

Captain Richie McCaw and five-eighths Daniel Carter were back after missing the start of last year's schedule through injury. Their return would stiffen the side's spine.

Hansen's rationale will centre on the Crusaders' influence in the pack, banking that their power and athleticism will be a tough cocktail for some of the visitors to match..

The Crusaders' set piece work during the Super 14 was strong and Hansen felt the All Blacks should develop that even further.

Players had been rewarded for form, others like loosehead prop Tony Woodcock, who had been hampered by an ankle injury, had been challenged to recover their position.

Tighthead prop Owen Franks was someone who had broken the mould and perception that props matured in their late twenties.

He was only 22 but an exceptional talent. He was hugely strong, he had stuffed a great deal of training into his powerful frame and was technically sharp.

That combination had allowed him to make the test grade earlier than most props.

There had been others in All Black history, like Kent Lambert and Carl Hayman, who started early but they were rare talents.

In returning to work with the forwards, Hansen has reclaimed the lineout portfolio which has been a contentious area of his work.

This week the side had built up their lineout strategies, sorting out the basics, increasing the intensity so they could function well, as a unit, under pressure.

Any test was a night for the forwards, predictions of wet weather would not make any difference to the pack's duties, Hansen said.

"Test matches are won by teams who dominate up front so whether it is raining or fine I don't think much changes.

"How you play the game might change subtly but the responsibility of numbers one to eight does not change. They have to go out and be dominant."

Choosing when to challenge the breakdown was a changing and difficult role in rugby. Patience was a key and picking the time when the attacking side was not quite in formation.

Teams had kicked less through the Super 14 but in the sudden-death playoffs, that strategy altered, and it showed how the game offered a variety of attacking methods.

"To me we have a better game," Hansen said.

"You now have a choice that if you want to hang on to the ball you will get rewards for it, if you want to kick it you can still challenge the opposition's skillset.

"It is a more rounded game I think."

There would be more kicking on Saturday if conditions were awkward.

That would be sensible.