New Zealand coach Steve Hansen has appealed for a fair deal from referees as he embarks on a campaign to produce the first side to win the World Cup twice in a row.
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No team has won back-to-back World Cup and the All Blacks, winners in 1987 and 2011, have never won it away from home. But Hansen said if the referees are fair to all sides, and the All Blacks are not enveloped by the over-confidence that has ruined previous missions, then there is no reason why it cannot happen this time.
“All we want is for them to be consistent,” Hansen said after naming a full strength squad for the All Blacks first match against Argentina at Wembley on Sunday.
#RWC2015 TEAM NEWS: @AllBlacks name full strength side to face @unionargentina #NZL #AllBlacks http://t.co/6aKubvMLbE pic.twitter.com/Riypy2r3xz
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“Someone’s going to have to do it first and we’re the only ones in this tournament that have got an opportunity. Although I want to emphasise that we learned in ‘07 if you look too far ahead you get on a plane and go home so we’ll just worry about Argentina this week, Namibia next game and so forth. It’s an old cliche but it’s one we hang on to.”
Under Hansen’s reign, the All Blacks have only suffered defeat three times in 47 Tests. The record includes notable come-from-behind wins against Ireland in Dublin in 2013 and Australia in Brisbane last year which Hansen said showed “we have the mental strength to get the job done.
“This team has got a lot of talent and it’s got a lot of self belief. Now, it just needs to have the hunger and desire and work ethic and use the luck we get,” he added.
Hansen left nothing to chance for New Zealand’s opener, sticking stuck by a team that delivers his high-risk, high-reward policy.
Led by Richie McCaw in his 143rd Test, the team contains an impressive 1,013 Test caps and a further 316 on the bench where Hansen has gone for a five forward, three back split.
“It was pretty straight forward,” Hansen said. “We’ve selected what we believe is a very strong team. We have the utmost respect for Argentina who we know a lot more about now because of their involvement in the Rugby Championship. But it also means they know a lot more about us.”
Hansen has put his faith in fledgling international Nehe Milner-Skudder to partner Julian Savea on the wing.
The pack include six players who featured in the World Cup final four years ago with McCaw, Kieran Read and Jerome Kaino as the loose trio, lock Sam Whitelock and props Tony Woodcock and Owen Franks.
