The Rugby Championship decider against Australia this weekend will be a litmus test of how New Zealand’s preparations for their World Cup defence are going, assistant coach Ian Foster said on Wednesday.
After rotating their squad for their first three Tests of the year against Samoa, Argentina and South Africa, the All Blacks are expected to field their strongest available side for Saturday’s match at Sydney’s Olympic Stadium.
“It has come at a great time, the way it’s worked out,” Foster said before the team left for Australia.
“Not only is it a Bledisloe Cup game, it’s also the decider for the Rugby Championship – it has added a bit of spice to the game hasn’t it? If we needed it.
“Certainly after the last three Tests of introducing a number of new people, I think it’s nice to put a stake in the ground and see exactly where we are at.”
Victory in Sydney would not only mean a fourth straight Rugby Championship title for the world champions but also ensure the Bledisloe Cup they contest with Australia every season remains in New Zealand for a 14th year.
“While the World Cup is the pinnacle and the overall strategy is geared towards that, winning the Bledisloe is vital for us,” Foster said.
“Sometimes having very powerful short-term goals are really good for this team. We’re very desperate to get the job done in Sydney.”
Australia go into the encounter with wins over Argentina and South Africa but have not beaten the All Blacks since they won the 2011 Tri-Nations, which, like this Rugby Championship, was truncated to help with World Cup preparations.
Foster said the Wallabies would also want to put a marker down against the best team in the world as they look to build on their improvement under new coach Michael Cheika.
“We know how hard it is to win over there,” he said. “The Aussies cherish Sydney, they’ve shown a bit of improvement, they’re chasing consistency and this will put a big marker in the ground for them.
“This is what Test rugby is all about. They want it, we want it, and on Saturday night we’ll go hammer and tongs to see who is best prepared.”
Jean de Villiers will complete his remarkable comeback from a knee injury when the experienced centre leads South Africa in the Rugby Championship Test against Argentina at King’s Park on Saturday.
De Villiers has yet to feature in a 2015 Test, having had major knee surgery after being injured against Wales last November.
The 34-year-old midfielder’s return comes as a huge boost for coach Heyneke Meyer ahead of the September-October World Cup in England with De Villiers’ leadership valued highly.
As a result of his inclusion at outside centre, explosive prospect Jesse Kriel will move to right wing.
“Jean’s comeback is truly remarkable and very inspirational and I can’t wait to see what he can offer,” Meyer said on Wednesday.
Saturday's fixtures (all kick-off times UAE)
• Australia v New Zealand, 2.05pm
• South Africa v Argentina, 7.05pm
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