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Aaron Cruden: The successor to Dan Carter's throne?
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- New Zealand
Also see
- Carter to undergo surgery
- McCaw and Thorn reflect on 3N victory
With the Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup already sewn up, the All Blacks will now focus on building a squad capable of winning the 2011 World Cup.
New Zealand coach Graham Henry says they will use November's Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland to give certain players game time to make sure the team has a competitive back-up player in each position.
"One of the responsibilities over the next six months is to ensure we've got players who can play at international level going into the World Cup, who are not normally starters in the team," Henry told the New Zealand media.
"So that if we get injuries in the World Cup, we've got guys who've had the experience of playing at that level and have played a number of test matches.
"So there is a double-edged sword there. We need to play well and win and there is the need to develop players underneath the top 15 going forward to the World Cup."
With a success rate of 85.9 per cent in his time in charge of the All Blacks, Henry knows the importance of a winning culture in a side.
"The results are important all the time," Henry told the Sunday Star Times.
"You can't get away from wanting to play well and produce the right result. That's always in your mind.
"That won't change, that's what All Blacks rugby is all about and, as far as I'm concerned, one of my responsibilities is to work with other people and try to ensure we get the right results and try to play well."
"We'll take 30 players on the end-of-year tour and we want to make sure they get an opportunity to develop on that tour, so they need to play and we've got five Test matches.
"After that we've got a truncated Tri-Nations where we play home and away against Australia and South Africa, then two weeks later we're into the World Cup.
"The Tri-Nations next year will be about building the team and trying to get better with each game you play, so that you reach the world cup in good shape. That's what I think will be the major focus of the Tri-Nations next year."
Comments
5Lock4ward says...
Kpe 12, I'm not sure how Ali Williams is a liability. He's great in the line-outs, tough in the tackle and break down area and great with ball in hand. I like Chris Jack too and would like to see him return if his form demands it; I just don't see how Ali Williams is a negative and Graham Henry has made it clear that he'll be back in black as soon as he is fit. I'm fine with Joe Rocks coming off the bench but Dagg must be the starter going forward. Again Braid is your best bet for back up to McCaw. As for Donnelly, I like the physicality he brings but Jack was much much better on the kick off receiving. Remember Chris Jack was man f the match in the first Lions test so that's a lot to live up to.
Posted 00:09 25th August 2010
kpe12 says...
I think your wrong about Donnelly, he's the engine room guy, just like Chris Jack, Ali is a liability and I would sooner see Jack in the black uniform before him, he's playing good rugby for the Makos at the moment too. Dagg and Guilford will be battling it out for wing positions and I think you might find the rocket man will become the impact player rather than starting, but it's hard to say, he does wear the opponents down with his physicality which sets up the space for fresher and "smarter" players in the second half.
Biggest concern for the WC is whether we can produce another McCaw, if not we are in serious trouble if he goes down (I remember a WC with Leon MacDonald playing the the centers when a key player got injured).
Posted 06:05 24th August 2010
hayj05 says...
5Lock4Ward I agree with all the things you said. Don't forget Sivivatu will be coming back at some stage as well.
Posted 04:58 24th August 2010
tavish says...
14 consecutive wins, I would rather concentrate on beating the Aussies twice to make it 16, then push past the world record 17 on the Northern tour. We have depth, Williams, Hore, Toeava, Sivivatu, Kahui all to come back from injury, Braid is now back in NZ... and the lot we have now... what more does Henry want...
Posted 20:49 23rd August 2010
5Lock4ward says...
The 30 players taken to the NH for the end of year tour will be very telling for the RWC. I have a feeling that some of the starters in this year's 3N may not even make the team for RWC. Donnelly and Rockococko for example. If Ali Williams comes back and Whitelock performs during the NH tour then Donnelly is scratching it out with Boric and I'm pretty sure Israel Dagg just pushed Joey Rocks off the top of the mountain. With what he's produced in limited game time it's nearly impossible for AB selectors to keep giving Rockococko first crack. I think he'll be left home in favor of Hosea Gear for the NH tour. I also think the time is right to get Daniel Braid some serious minutes of test match rugby in preparation for the RWC.
Posted 13:23 23rd August 2010