Creating a positive vibe about playing in Cardiff is driving the All Blacks to finish the season on a bright note.
The Welsh capital is the scene of their last loss at a Rugby World Cup – the 2007 quarter-final disaster against France – and is also where they are scheduled to play a quarter-final next year.
Coach Steve Hansen and several players have spoken about making this week as upbeat as possible, and not only so they’re ready to combat Wales on Saturday.
They also want a good feeling when they almost certainly return to Millennium Stadium for their first World Cup knockout match in mid-October next year – probably against France or Ireland.
The defending champions need to finish first or second in what is a weak pool to book a last-eight fixture at the 75,000-seat venue. The semi-finals and final are played at Twickenham in London.
Hansen says planning for the quarter-final was already under way, adding he would be “pretty unhappy” if the All Blacks didn’t advance that far.
Much of this tour has been about road testing the travel and the mindset they’ll call on in 10 months’ time.
Last week’s Test against Scotland was treated as the equivalent of the final pool game against Tonga in Newcastle.
No.8 Kieran Read says the players now want to ensure they feel comfortable in the rugby-mad city – as well as successful.
“We want to make this week as positive as we can and make sure we enjoy it.”
All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster believes such sentiment will also help them lift mentally for the Test against world No.7 Wales.
“It doesn’t feel like we’re crawling into the station to stop. If feels like we’re ready to go,” Foster said.
A relative lack of injuries on this tour has been a bonus.
Foster says it has allowed them to largely select fresh teams for each of the four Tests.
“How they’re tracking physically, how they’re tracking mentally and their form on the park are all ingredients in selection,” he said.
“We haven’t been forced to put players out that we think are leg-weary and are really struggling.”
The All Blacks team to face the Welsh is announced on Thursday.
