Either New Zealand need to do more research or All Blacks captain Richie McCaw is playing mind games ahead of Saturday night’s Tri-Nations decider in Brisbane.
One of the major talking points ahead of the Suncorp Stadium showdown has been Wallabies playmaker Will Genia’s fitness after he came off second best to teammates twice at training this week.
Genia was only given the green light on Friday as Australia looked to claim their first Tri-Nations crown in 10 years.
But it was all news to McCaw on Friday – or so he claimed.
“I wasn’t aware of that (Genia’s head knocks at training),” a seemingly puzzled McCaw said.
Genia had complained of the “foggy” effects of massive training hits from Radike Samo and Rob Simmons.
One Kiwi journalist cheekily claimed if anyone could relate to Genia’s plight it was the hard-hitting McCaw.
But McCaw said: “You are either right to play or not – that is how I look at it.
“If he is out there he is good to go.”
It was the level-headed response expected from a man entrusted with carrying the high expectations of a rugby-mad nation not only into this weekend but the looming World Cup.
Yet McCaw could still feel for first-time Wallabies skipper James Horwill ahead of this weekend.
“It is a little different when you are in charge, especially the intensity of a Test match if it is close,” he said.
“When guys are looking to you for direction you have to make sure you have somewhere to go to – it puts more pressure on you.
“But I am sure James will have that sorted.”
McCaw was inevitably asked about the man Horwill replaced as skipper – the seemingly out of form Rocky Elsom.
“That’s interesting. I am sure he will have a big game,” he said.
“I don’t think he has played that badly this year.
“I am sure he has extra incentive this week.”
McCaw did not believe the Tri-Nations decider would have any significance on the looming World Cup – but he still didn’t want to give ground to Australia on Saturday night.
“There’s a trophy on the line tomorrow so we are pretty keen to put a performance together to win that – this is hugely important,” he said.
“In two weeks time we go into the big thing but we have to make sure we get this right.”
Despite the Queensland Reds ensuring Suncorp Stadium became a graveyard for New Zealand’s Super Rugby sides this year – including McCaw’s Crusaders – the All Blacks captain felt oddly comfortable in Brisbane.
“Personally there are some tough memories playing here (for the Crusaders who lost the 2011 Super Rugby final to the Reds),” he said.
“But I really enjoy playing here.
“Results aside, it is a great atmosphere to play in.
“We have to make sure we put forward the performance we are after – it will give us confidence ahead of the next few weeks but it doesn’t mean much in a couple of months’ time.”
Rugby Diehard
Guest
WOW Chuck. For someone who believes "Australians have an uncanny knack for being able to read Kiwi minds hmmmmm, well at least they (Australians) think they do." you sure do a lot of mind-reading. You just completely fabricated my opinions in your post. For what it's worth I don't think there are too many people who think that because we won the TN we will win the RWC, but that win will doubtedly give us some confidence and possibly dent some of the ABs confidence. And IMO that can not be a negatuve thing for Australia's RWC chances. I think 9/10 Australian supporters would still feel the ABs are still the strong favourites.
benz
Guest
Sorry Chuck. We won.
warrenexpatinnz
Roar Guru
Redster the best thing about having our Kiwi cousins post? The silence the day after the ABs lose. Big ups to those that front up though after a loss, better men than me, you should be as you don't do it bugger all do you :) . House full of Kiwis again tonight, guess to be expected as living in NZ and I am the only bugger with Sky!
Betty B
Guest
it's great to have them on board. They know their rugby and add a bit of spice to the blog. Pity is though, there's so many of them tonight's game will be as much a home game for their team as it will be for the Wallabies. And it's been raining all day here (Brisbane), feels like NZ too. So long as they don't boo our anthem.
all7days
Roar Guru
"they took our jobs!" I've seen this south park ep...
Chuck
Guest
haha good one you have to be positive. I do find it amusing though blinky how your countrymen can only talk about how the ABs and kiwis would react should they lose. yet no one is prepared to say how Australia would deal with a loss tonight. Double standards
Chuck
Guest
Mentally weak nation how do you come to that ridiculous conclusion? If anything I would say your only here to provoke something with such an ill informed any purly inflammatory comment such as that. How do you explain the kangaroos failed attempt at the WC and the four Nations? How do you explain the Wallabies not winning anything for over 10 years? Do not judge a whole nation based on the performance of a rugby team. p.s your example is pretty weak as I don't recall Australia winning that world cup either. No one gives a rats unless you win it which you didn't
Redster
Guest
Too many Kiwi trolls reading and writing rubbish on Aussie blogs. You boys not have yer own sites? Oh that's right, you probably all live here. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
oneteam
Guest
hey chuck...noone says anything about the impact of a loss on the Wallabies because hstory has shown that even when we lose we still perform on the big stage. In 03 the kiwis put 50 on s in Syd only to lose to us at the WC. NZ is a mentally weak nation therefore this game should mean just as much to them.
Blinky Bill of Bellingen
Guest
Sorry Chuck but it's side step time. I'm actually more concerned about how we will handle our win tonight. ;) If we pull off a rare win against New Zealand, I want to see the new skipper to get the troops together & tell them to 'bank their emotions'.
Kuruki
Guest
Genia was never in doubt. He took a head knock at training FFS man it happens every week. This was nothing but media buildup and that is why McCaw was unaware of the situation. They have people within the All Black camp that give them every bit of info they need, these people weed out the speculaltion and irrelevant info. Dont think that McCaw and co are sitting around reading news papers, they are looking toward winning this Tri Nations match and then they will re focus purely onto the World cup. Nothing is more important right now then keeping Australian confidence down. This is why this game is so important.
Chuck
Guest
Finally an Australian who only cares about his team big ups to you Blinky. I'll put the question to you as it seems everyone else wants to side step the issue. How do you think a loss would impact on the Wallabies tonight heading into a WC?
Chuck
Guest
I'm not saying they don't want it of course they do as do most fans. What I am saying is the ramifications of a loss are nowhere near as dark and desperate as some Australians would have us believe. The game should be intense and a cracker for sure however no matter the result for either team it means little going into a WC unless there are injuries to key players from either team. As I have explained below there is still four weeks for each team to get their act together, I would be very surprised should either team not make the QFs at least.
jeznez
Guest
Chuck, I hope you are right and that the AB's turn up with 80% attitude because the 'match isn't that important'. As you can tell we Aussies really want it - we haven't won too many 3N's trophies and adding one to the cupboard would make this little gold duck very happy.
Blinky Bill of Bellingen
Guest
Personally I couldn't give a monkey's what Richie thinks. I'm only concerned about how OUR guys are going. From what I'm seeing they seem relaxed and in high spirits BUT tonight we are asking them to dig deeper than they have shown thus far. Here's hoping they get out on the park and play an absolute blinder. Predictions are for rain in Brisbane. If so then who cares. It's all good preparation for NZ in a few weeks time. Come on boys GET STUCK IN!!! Go the Wallabies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chuck
Guest
How is it rich Galaxy Hop? The reality is win or lose it is no indication of what will happen at the WC for either squad. It is not a world cup match in NZ it is a 3N match being played in Australia end of story. Both Teams still have another 4 matches to get things right before finals of the WC. I don't buy into the Pyschological theory really and if I did I see it like this. A win over the ABs will give the Wallabies a boost for sure, but fact remains they haven't won in NZ for a long time and this will be in their minds come the World Cup. A loss by the Wallabies again will knock their confidence for sure but the Wallabies know they have been spanked by the ABs pre world cup and then gone on to beat them during the Cup. The ABs on the other hand know they will be playing at home where they have not lost many games and certainly not to Australia in recent years. A loss could steel them and bring out a little more desire to win and win well. Then again it will also be in their minds as I said above they will know they have gone into most world cups beating all and sundry yet have failed to clear the final hurdle and in the last cup they didn't make it to the semis much like the Australians. We can look at many things in matches played but it in no way indicates how either team will perform at the WC.
Betty B
Guest
yeah, they're a hatful these kiwis. First Henry says he didn't know Australia had ever won the Tri-nations, then Genia injured, what? At least now they're daring to utter the words World Cup, just a few weeks ago they'd use any words but those. I do hope they win (not tonight, but the big one), they deserve to win one, but somehow I fear it's going to be a big fall.
jokerman
Guest
Galaxy Hop
Guest
A little rich that you lampooned Australia for daring to infer what the ABs might be thinking and then wrote, "A loss will mean absolutley little in the wider context to either squad."
jokerman
Guest
All Blacks 29 Australia 17 The future has variants not absolute, though I predict the above. Australia are looking charged up, ready to go, though an up and down build up…which they say will have no effect. Everything has an effect, suppressing it won’t change it. Delving into something that doesn’t need to be delved into doesn’t help either.