All Blacks pin RWC hopes on veteran stars
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NEW Zealand yesterday named an unchanged side for the Rugby World Cup showdown with Australia highlighting the weight the All Blacks are putting on Richie McCaw and Dan Carter to secure victory.
Coach Steve Hansen maintained faith in the team that narrowly beat South Africa 20-18 in their semifinal for tomorrow’s Twickenham showdown that has been billed as the battle of the back rows.
Flanker McCaw, who led the All Blacks to the 2011 World Cup victory, is “the greatest player who has ever played the game”, Hansen said with Carter, the world’s leading point scorer a “special player” as well.
Between them they contribute 258 tests to the combined 1,339 caps of New Zealand’s match-day 23.
“Experience is massive. There’s two types of experiences; the ones you learn from and the ones you don’t and hopefully we’ve learned enough,” Hansen said. “Mental fortitude and physical endurance, together with skill execution and sheer desire, will be the key ingredients come Saturday.”
McCaw acknowledged the outcome of the final could hinge on the loose forwards where he, Jerome Kaino and Kieran Read will be up against Wallabies expert scavengers Michael Hooper, David Pocock and Scott Fardy.
“We realize we need to be on the job and limit their influence as much as possible and hopefully our back row can impose themselves,” he said.
The inspirational captain said he has put back a decision on whether to retire until after the final.
McCaw, 34, has indicated several times this year he would bow out after the tournament. Team management have also spoken as if the RWC final will be his last test. “I’ll make a decision when I get home. I want to play this weekend and that (retirement) hasn’t entered my mind this week.”
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