Rugby: Warren Gatland about to get All Blacks awakening

All Blacks Jerome Kaino and captain Kieran Read perform the haka during the Bledisloe test in October 2016. Photo / NZME

As the 33 names were read out by New Zealand Rugby Union chairman Brent Impey, it sounded awfully like he was announcing an All Blacks squad.

The big names just kept coming...Beauden Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Jerome Kaino, Aaron Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Israel Dagg, Ben Smith...Owen Franks, Sam Cane, Ryan Crotty, Julian Savea.

It was impressive. Definitely an All Blacks squad announcement and not the naming of a Super Rugby team.

There couldn't really be any confusion about that because, well, Super Rugby teams in New Zealand are good but they aren't that ridiculously good. They don't have access to that many world class players.

All of which needs to be stated for the benefit of the British & Irish Lions, whose coach Warren Gatland may be labouring under the misapprehension that there isn't really any difference between Super Rugby teams and the All Blacks.

They are, reckons Gatland, pretty much the same thing. The Blues, Crusaders, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Highlanders, the All Blacks...who would know the difference?

"There is so much strength in depth in this country I don't think there will be a lot of difference between some of the Super Rugby sides and the All Blacks," said Gatland after his side lost to the Blues 22-16 on Wednesday night.

Probably four and half million people would be able to put Gatland straight on his rather curious take, but one man in particular will relish the opportunity most.

And that man is All Blacks coach Steve Hansen. Every year Hansen has to labour the point about Super Rugby not being anything like test rugby.

Every year, usually in June, he has to remind everyone that his players take time to adjust to the international game, coming straight into it from Super Rugby and its emphasis on bonus points and thrills and spills.

He's paid - good coin as it happens - to work out which players in Super Rugby are ready to play at the next - higher - level which is the All Blacks.

Much of that pay packet is in recognition that he has to take a group of the country's best players and mould them into something which exceeds the sum of its considerable parts.
The point - and it really shouldn't have to be made, is that the expectation is that the All Blacks will be considerably better than all of the Super Rugby teams.

So no wonder Hansen was a little surprised and confused by Gatland's inability to grasp the basics.

"I think he was probably trying to take a bit of humour having struggled a little bit in the press conference before that I suppose," said Hansen. "I don't think there is any comparison between test rugby and Super Rugby but he's probably just trying to make a light comment. I don't really know...

"I have always said this and I still believe it, they are the best Lions side to come here. Arriving on a Wednesday and having to play on a Saturday is just too tough and we wouldn't do it. So you can look at that performance and let it go.

"Look at last night and they still have people trying to find out who their mate is beside them. They are in the infancy of this tour and they will only get better. They will be a good side when the tests come around and that is all they care about anyway. It is well documented that all they want to do is win the test matches.

"Gatland has made it very, very clear that the first test is where he has got his eyes on and I don't think they are too bothered about what happens between now and then."

All Blacks squad:

Backs: Ben Smith, Jordie Barrett, Israel Dagg, Waisake Naholo, Julian Savea, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams, Ngani Laumape, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Cruden, Lima Sopoaga, Aaron Smith, TJ Perenara, Tawera Kerr-Barlow.

Forwards: Kieran Read (c), Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Jerome Kaino, Liam Squire, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Charlie Faumuina, Joe Moody, Wyatt Crockett, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Dane Coles, Codie Taylor, Nathan Harris.