Steven Hansen:

This Test match will tell us a lot about ourselves and Australia. There’s no doubt that one of the hardest things to do in sport is to back up a big performance with another big performance. It’s totally a mental thing, so that is something we’ve been working really hard on this week: getting our feet back on the ground and our attitudes right for what is going to be a really physical and demanding Test. As always, the expectation we have placed on ourselves is to improve in everything we do.

I can see Australia coming back in a big way on Saturday. A lift in physicality and a decrease in the missed tackles stat and things will be a lot harder for the All Blacks.

Some fantastic stats shared in that article. Particularly:

All Blacks Captain Kieran Read has won his first 13 Tests as captain. All Blacks legend Sir Brian Lochore holds the world record of winning his first 14 Tests.

Three home tests in a row should see him extend that. Bring on Saturday.

The full matchday 23:



1. Joe Moody (14)

2. Dane Coles (40)

3. Owen Franks (81)

4. Brodie Retallick (51)

5. Samuel Whitelock (76)

6. Jerome Kaino (70)

7. Sam Cane (35)

8. Kieran Read - captain (88)

9. Aaron Smith (51)

10. Beauden Barrett (40)

11. Julian Savea (44)

12. Anton Lienert-Brown

13. Malakai Fekitoa (16)

14. Israel Dagg (52)

15. Ben Smith (52)

16. James Parsons (1)

17. Wyatt Crockett (49)

18. Charlie Faumuina (37)

19. Liam Squire (2)

20. Ardie Savea (3)

21. TJ Perenara (20)

22. Aaron Cruden (40)

23. Seta Tamanivalu (2)

