The All Blacks will be ready with defensive measures of their own and after two of the shots fired across their bow in Christchurch hit them, they will be ready.
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FOR THE first time in 24 years, New Zealand have arrived for a Rugby World Cup as champions, finally able to bat away the “choking Kiwi” tag that has haunted them for almost three decades.
New Zealand has been the favorite to lift the Webb Ellis Cup on October 31 from the moment it clinched the tournament at home four years ago.
“Ben was going down the gym, and though I wasn’t planning on it, we’re pretty early risers, and as I wasn’t up to much, I thought I might as well go down and lift some weights as well”, Owen said.
“We are the showcase of our rugby event and it’s very important that we keep our values there and referees have been asked to sanction very heavily on that”.
The All Blacks have lost just three of 47 Tests under Hansen since his promotion to head coach following the 2011 triumph on home soil. They have players coming through who are just not quite good enough to get in the side at the moment.
England Rugby 2015 Chief Operating Officer, Neil Snowball, said: “We would like to extend our thanks to DHL for their support in helping us to plan and deliver the complex freight and logistics requirements for Rugby World Cup 2015″.
That playing history includes two Tests at Rugby World Cups: in pool play in 1987 and in the quarterfinal at RWC 2011.
“But if they can be consistent, if that’s offside today then that’s offside for the whole game as an example, and if they do that then no one’s got any complaints”.
The All Blacks are the only top tier nation Argentintina have never beaten, with a sole draw in 1985 their best showing in 21 matches.
But McCaw is desperate for his squad not to fall into the trap of becoming complacent and let down the famous All-Black legacy. “You hope we don’t come up against France because they can pull a rabbit out of the hat, but I don’t see that happening this time”.
He said: “Dan’s got his challengers and it’s the same with England and Australia, where you’ve also got big competition at fly-half”. However, it doesn’t have to be a deciding factor and that is the way we have always looked at it.
Drawn into Pool C, alongside, Tonga, Georgia, Namibia, as well as Argentina, New Zealand are expected to have little trouble making it through to the last eight.
Hansen has made only one change from that team, bringing in Jerome Kaino for Victor Vito, but he knows Argentina present a muscular test. “They will be really risky “, he said.
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Speaking to The Standard, Spencer believes his home country have the chance to retain the title and has tipped All Blacks wing Nehe Milner-Skudder to be one of the stars of the tournament. “DHL are leaders in the field and their high level service has allowed our freight and logistics team, led by Shaun Day, to ensure the best possible operation is in place for all our stakeholders”.
