All Blacks: The World Cup heat is on

Photo / Brett Phibbs

Graham Henry and his staff have 18 tests in which to hone the All Blacks before they pursue a second global title on home soil.

The countdown starts in three weeks in New Plymouth, when the class of 2010 sets off on a season which includes 14 of those internationals.

Next year the schedule is just four Tri-Nations tests before they hit the World Cup arena - a limited series which puts extra heat on this year's campaign.

In a wide-ranging interview, the All Black coach reveals that two of his biggest worries are the scrum and the lack of player depth in New Zealand.

This year was both a separate season and formative steps for the seventh World Cup.

"If we just put all our focus on the World Cup, I think we would fall over and be highly embarrassed," Henry said.

"I think we just need to get better at what we are doing through each of these campaigns and if we do that, we are going to have a good foundation for the World Cup."

There will be no rest and reconditioning requests from the All Blacks panel during next year's Super 15.

"No, no. We learned from last time," Henry said.

"There was no harmony on that last time with the Super teams and the All Blacks, so we have to make sure we are all working on this to try and produce something which is really positive."

This season the All Blacks coaches have visited each franchise several times, swapped information, ideas and plans with the staff and spoken to players.

"We have discussed the players' games and their coaches have been present at those meetings and they have been very helpful discussions.

"We started that this year so we could perfect it for next season," Henry said.

"But will that be sufficient? That is the challenge because we have five weeks of contact in 2011 with the All Blacks rugby team as a group before we play the Rugby World Cup.

"In contrast, the European teams will play Six Nations, then have a break and through May, June, July they will prime themselves for World Cup. So it is quite a different build-up.

"For the Southern Hemisphere sides it is a lot more challenging."

Henry hoped the altered home and away format in the Super 15 would give his coaching group more access to the top players.

But that is in the distance. So, too, the seventh World Cup. Concentration is on the June tests and Tri-Nations, the early stages of preparation for next year.

Henry, Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen are sifting through contenders for their initial squad of 26 for the three tests next month against Ireland and Wales.

That group will gather in the first week in June for a camp, where Henry and Co. will deliver their vision for the season, settle on game plans, team protocols and other issues before Henry: heading for New Plymouth and the Irish.

"We need to talk through things again, set a major objective for the June tests and what we need to do to achieve that objective," Henry said.

The coaches would deliver their ideas on how the game had changed through the law interpretations on attack and defence and seek the players' reaction. "The major objective is something you can measure, what we want to achieve and I don't think you can go too far down the track.

"We need to limit that to June and then meet again and talk about the Tri-Nations."

It was tough in the first few weeks, it was a day-by-day slog, checking lists, making sure every detail had been considered to achieve objectives.

"The management group will talk through ideas. It has to be a mix of discussion because we have had a bit of time to look at the game.

"The players have all been involved at the coalface in a very competitive tournament and their minds have been set on playing well for their teams.

"They need a wee bit of space to get themselves mentally and physically right for the challenge of international rugby and once they have cleared their heads a wee bit they can start thinking about the All Blacks and what they want to achieve and how they are going to do that."

The selectors had settled on a style they felt would suit their squad. It had taken a while to sort through footage and statistics from the Super 14 and to digest the impact of the law tweaks.

Those changes, Henry said, had improved the game and players had responded strongly.

That had allowed the panel to reach some firm conclusions about plans and selections.

"The nature of the game at this level is that it changes all the time even though the law will be the same for the next 18 months.

"You are always trying to get better and if you don't have that philosophy you will get beaten and passed.

"It becomes more difficult when you are at the coalface and doing the job from week to week."

As Henry and his assistants inspected trends in the Super series they thought successful sides reduced their kicking.

That had been noticeable with the Crusaders as they adjusted to the changes in law interpretations.

A strength of rugby in New Zealand was the variety in styles and Henry hoped that would continue. It was difficult, though.

Video footage meant the chance of surprise was diminished greatly, it was impossible to make significant changes from week to week.

"But, frankly, how do you fix that?

"I think you have just got to perfect the game you are trying to play. All teams will have weaknesses where you can try and take advantage."

HENRY ON:

Coaching
"You are always trying to get better and if you don't have that philosophy you will get beaten and passed."

Early strategy
"We need to talk through things again, set a major objective for the June tests and what we need to do to achieve that objective."

Player drain
"I think there are 44 [New Zealand] players playing professional rugby in Europe at the moment at the top level, which is a huge number."

Big worries
"Our biggest challenge is finding sufficient depth at 10, 12 and 13."

"Our biggest fear is that the No 1 player in a particular position falls over and can't play in the Rugby World Cup in 18 months' time and the No 2 or 3 in that position has had no experience at all."