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All black people 2IC Neil Barnes believes his side will continue to have a strong Test side Wales in the Nations Championship, despite being without several first-choice starters.
Will Jordan and Jordie Barrett are the latest to miss time on the sidelines, although it is positive news for Barrett as the All Blacks prepare to face Wales in Cardiff this weekend.
Jordan limped off with a hamstring injury, while Barrett went through all his HIA protocols ahead of the Wales clash but is not expected to be named in the 23-man squad.
The All Blacks’ all-time leading try scorer has a minor tear in his hamstring and will miss the Wales Test and is likely to England at Twickenham, but the All Blacks hope to have him on the field in the finals weekend.
“Yes, lalso, we are I hope so. At this stage, we don’t I know,” Barnes explained in Bath.
“It is no final where he is at. That’s it a minor tear, but that it depends he how quickly that begins that cure this a week. So we will look how that is progressing as the a week is coming together.”
The All Blacks’ injury list has reached another high, with over ten players missing the Northern Tour leg of the Nations Championship.
But despite the mounting injury toll, Barnes is adamant the players selected will raise their game to the standard required.
“look at the the end of the day, there it is a a lot of positions in this team where it is really close, and you I know we I can to make quite a bit a a little changes and still put a curse good side out there,” Barnes said at Bath University, where the All Blacks train ahead of the trip to Cardiff.
“There is a a lot of trust in the people we selected in this group, so yes, a couple of people will get opportunities, and they are well deserved to them.
“If they perform, that raises the bar in that position. I then the the rest person that get back in’s Got that to raise his the game. That’s it only a flow-on effect, really. So yes, they exist areas there where we will to make a couple of changes.
“Look, at the the end of the day, we are everything Fr constant improvement each one a week. So we had a good have a look at our the game the last one week, and to have identified the areas we I want that get a a little bit better everything the time. Ccomfortable with the result we got.”
All Blacks winger Josh Moorby, who scored a try to extend the lead in the left corner against Scotland at Murrayfield, said he was impressed with Wales’ win over Japan.
“yes, like we en masse respect to them. They are a high–quality squad that had a good bonus–period win done the weekend.
“We are I’m looking for at a a lot of things that we I can do better of the weekend only gone. So yes, we will to be attacking this a week with a a lot of intention.
The Hurricanes the winger admitted Steve Tandy’s side are threatening all over the park, which will challenge the All Blacks defence.
“Oh, huh mix of everything species, really. They are big in midfield, quickly outside back, good forward pack. So they’ll to be bringing a quite a bit physically game, and we will to be getting ready this a week for that.”