Pool D/New Zealand v Canada, preview (UTV, 10.15 today): The All Blacks repeated a well-spun line in the build-up to their World Cup pool D game against Canada today."We expect a physical contest," New Zealand coach John Mitchell said.
"We expect improvement from their last performance. Their forwards will work hard and they have a good kicking game. We expect them to put pressure on us. For them this is the World Cup final."
Despite Mitchell's words of caution, the tournament favourites should overwhelm Canada. As with the other pool D sides, the Canadians believe the All Blacks will qualify for the quarter-finals without breaking sweat and they have set their sights on the runners-up spot.
While Canada coach David Clark says he has not deliberately chosen an A or B side, only one of the players who faced Wales will line up against New Zealand because he regards the next game against Italy as more important.
The Canadians lost 41-10 to Wales, with centre Marco Di Girolamo the only member of that side to survive. "There will be no white flag, believe me, (but) it's virtually impossible to play a bruising 80-minute game against the All Blacks and then recover to play a very fine game of rugby against Italy," said Clark.
"It would be irresponsible of us as the management to put players in that position and expect them to perform."
Mitchell, however, said he was unconcerned by what side the Canadians fielded: "Their opinions don't particularly concern us
. . . We are looking to achieve greater accuracy and to reduce our error rate."
That warning should be ominous for the Canadians despite Mitchell making 10 changes, one positional. The All Blacks looked rusty against Italy after two months without a game and flanker Marty Holah says his side want to build on the 70-7 victory.
"The guys were pretty happy with what happened but they got sucked into the atmosphere a little," said Holah. "They got a bit carried away and with it being the first game they probably did some things they shouldn't have. We created opportunities (but) we tried to push passes rather than create a bit of pressure."
Captain Reuben Thorne summed up the team's single-minded approach. "The score will be irrelevant. All we want to do is look at our performances and the general accuracy of the game."
NEW ZEALAND: L MacDonald; M Muliaina, Ma'a Nonu, D Carter, C Ralph; C Spencer, S Devine; C Hoeft, M Hammett, K Meeuws, B Thorne, C Jack, R Thorne (capt), M Holah, R So'oialo. Replacements: C Flynn, D Hewett, R McCaw, D Braid, B Kelleher, D Howlett, B Blair.
CANADA: Q Fyffe; M King, J Cannon, M Di Girolamo, S Fauth; J Barker, E Fairhurst; K Tkachuk, A Abrams, G Cooke, J Cudmore, E Knaggs, R Banks (capt), J Douglas, J Reid. Replacements: M Lawson, R Snow, A van Staveren, C Yukes, M Williams, R Smith, N Witkowski.
Referee: T Spreadbury (England).
