All Blacks look to send off ‘legends’ with Rugby World Cup win
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New Zealand's Aaron Smith during the Rugby World Cup semi-final against Argentina in which the All Blacks won 44-6.
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PARIS – A slew of New Zealand greats will don the All Blacks jersey for the last time in the Rugby World Cup final against South Africa on Saturday, and the players left to carry on are determined they will bow out with the trophy, hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho has said.
Locks Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick, scrum-half Aaron Smith and hooker Dane Coles are set to retire from Test rugby after the decider at the Stade de France, while playmaker Beauden Barrett will head to Japan and may not feature for the All Blacks again.
“There are a few legends of this team, it’s their last week being All Blacks,” Taukei’aho said in Paris.
“I’m sure for them it’s all about what’s best for the team this week. And we will be trying to send them off the way they deserve, which is with a victory.”
Having signed a contract extension to play in New Zealand until 2027, the 26-year-old Taukei’aho will continue on, likely to be a big part of Scott Robertson’s plans when the new coach succeeds Ian Foster after this tournament.
His immediate focus will be on retaining his place in the All Blacks’ squad for Saturday’s final.
Taukei’aho ran off the bench in the 44-6 thrashing of Argentina in the semi-finals, relieving starting hooker Codie Taylor.
However, veteran Coles was picked in the reserves to back up Taylor in the tight quarter-final win over Ireland.
Coles, who already has a World Cup gold medal as part of the championship-winning All Blacks in England in 2015, could yet deny Taukei’aho a maiden World Cup final appearance.
However, Taukei’aho had only kind words for the battle-scarred 36-year-old who took him under his wing when he made his first All Blacks squad and helped him make it at Test level.
“It was quite funny this week. At the start, I was a bit emotional. I’m like, ‘Ah, it’s the last week with grandad’,” he said.
“But we’ll leave the reflecting until afterwards. I’m sure we’ll have a few quiet ones and talk about how much he developed me as a player... but not just as a rugby player, as a human being, too.
“He’s a top man. Whoever gets the nod, we back 100 per cent to get the job done and the job of the person not in the 23 is to prepare them the best they can. Nothing changes this week.”
As the All Blacks prepare for the final, defence coach Scott McLeod has predicted a fast start to the title-decider, as both teams seek an early lead to set the tone in the clash.
“It is no secret that both sides will be focusing on the first 20 minutes,” he said.
“It will be about who can execute with accuracy. We’ve talked about that with the team. We need to be extremely accurate and be able to apply pressure at the same time. But the Boks will also be coming out and wanting to start well, so we’ll prepare for that too.”
The two meetings between the All Blacks and Springboks in 2023 have been characterised by fast starts.
New Zealand blitzed their way to a 17-0 lead in the opening 15 minutes when they hosted South Africa in the Rugby Championship in Auckland in July, and went on to clinch a 35-20 victory.
When the teams met again at Twickenham in their World Cup warm-up match in late August, South Africa were 14-0 up at half-time and extended their dominance after the break for a 35-7 record win over the Kiwis.
It remains to be seen which team will be charging out of the blocks on Saturday, but what will be certain is that the rugby world is ready to witness a blockbuster final. REUTERS, AFP
