Rugby: It all looks a bit too easy

By Wynne Gray

It is familiar territory again for the All Blacks, but there is an accompanying unease about the perception they will begin the Tri-Nations series with victory tomorrow against the Springboks.

To make such a general judgment of All Black favouritism seems strange after their dismal 1998 season but their form start this year and the corresponding Springbok stutters and troubles, makes that a reasonable assessment.

But it just seems too pat, too neat and indeed is too dismissive of a side which carries the World Cup and Tri-Nations titles. However, everything is in the All Blacks' favour.

They play at home and in the cool Dunedin weather they are accustomed to and where they have yet to lose to the Boks; they have had three solid workout wins against New Zealand A, Samoa and France; they have not had any injuries.

Meanwhile, the Springboks have been battered by a shock loss to Wales; they have travelled all round the globe; they have a raft of injured players and other issues like race quotas and provincial bickering to contend with.

Imagine the All Black angst if key men like Andrew Mehrtens or Josh Kronfeld could not play. The Boks are without Joost van der Westhuizen, Henry Honiball, Bobby Skinstad, Rassie Erasmus and Ruben Kruger, all an integral part of recent victorious Bok sides.

It has left the All Blacks with national expectations of victory, more pressure than they want as they search for the blend of player, tactics and skill they believe will take them through to the end of the year. It has not gone unnoticed.

"It has certainly upped the ante for New Zealand, being at home and with all our main players," coach John Hart agreed. "We probably have more of our World Cup squad settled than the Springboks at the moment."

It is a reverse of last season. Eventually the All Blacks were left in the uncharted territory of just trying to scratch out any victory while tomorrow they have the burden of producing the result most anticipate.

Some realism, however, has to come with that forecast. The All Blacks have played some smart and accurate rugby against inferior Samoan and French sides. That has given them the confidence they so badly needed after the five test losses last year.

The New Zealand A pack showed the All Blacks creaked when forced to defend against consistent forward onslaughts, the type the Springboks will bring with their crush-into-submission policies.

Whether the Boks can retain enough ball and have enough variety round the fringes to test that defence remains unclear.

Even with their troubles the Boks are a top quality international side.

They may lack some width on attack but they will have unrelenting commitment which will test the All Blacks if they are not in the zone.