Day of leisure for All Blacks as tension mounts
August 18, 2000

The All Blacks had a day off on Thursday after completing their preparations for Saturday's all-important meeting with South Africa in Johannesburg.

"We had a good training run yesterday and everyone came through with no worries at all," media manager James Funnell said. "We'll fly out to Jo'burg tomorrow morning at nine and go straight to the field for our final run."

As to be expected, the All Blacks have prepared hard and are in a good frame of mind. "They're pretty relaxed, but we certainly prepare for every game hoping to win it," Funnell said.

The All Blacks are under a new coach and captain this season, and with a so-called "clean broom" sweeping through the team.

Pita Alatini, Ron Cribb and Todd Blackadder will be starting their first Tests in South Africa and Leon MacDonald, Troy Flavell and Greg Somerville will also make their debut if they get any game time, but Funnell says it won't make any difference at all.

"They've all played Super 12 rugby in South Africa before. These players have all come here so often now it doesn't make a difference, it's not like the old days when the players would get anxious of coming to SA."

At the moment a lot of talk ahead of the Test is more about Josh Kronfeld's future.

"Many people have said this is Josh's final Test in the southern hemisphere, but I think that might be taking it a bit too far right now," Funnell said. "He will mull things over after this game."

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