All though Richie McCaw must be the ultimate diplomat, he revealed that revenge are in the All Blacks’ minds ahead of the clash against the Springboks on Saturday.

After the Boks three game whitewash last year on their way to the Vodacom Tri Nations title, McCaw knows only too well how revenge would be a dish best served cold in Auckland this week, although he was mostly diplomatic in speaking to New Zealand rugby scribes on Saturday.

“There is definitely a little bit of that,” McCaw told the Sunday Star-Times in Auckland when asked about the dreaded R-word. “We felt like we never performed like we could have last year. The Africans are a good team but they are not a team that is unbeatable too. So there is a bit of that.”

There is an acknowledgement in the All Black camp that they certainly can’t give the Boks a good start in this year’s competition, not if they want to try and gain some significant advantage ahead of next year’s World Cup. “We have to start off well to win the Tri Nations,” he said.

“We have got two home tests and if we can get two wins there, it sets you up pretty well, and if we don’t, it is pretty hard to win.

“Certainly we are aware we have to win and to do that we have to break them down and make sure we get our performances right. We have the ability, we just have to make sure we do it for long periods in the game,” said All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith, who echoed McCaw’s sentiments.

“We are rated number one in the world but I don’t think anyone in the squad actually believes we are number one in the world after losing to the Boks last year,” he said.

“So I think there is a bit of that – really wanting to prove ourselves. There is nowhere to hide. We have a full squad, a healthy squad, we’ve got every opportunity and there is nowhere to hide. You just have to front up at 7.35 at Eden Park on Saturday and do the business.”

Source: sport24.co.za

Tags: all blacks, Springboks