All Blacks looking for team to 'click' against Tonga

Transcript

Rugby World Cup pool play wraps up this weekend, with the All Blacks playing their final match against Tonga on Saturday.
 
The team relocated to Newcastle this morning in preparation for the game after spending the morning engaging with fans at the rugby club that hosted them.
 
Alex Coogan-Reeves reports.

Local school children gave the All Blacks a familiar welcome at the Darlington Mowden Park Rugby Club where more than 5,000 turned out to see them run coaching drills with some young local players.  It was clear the visit was a big occasion for the town, with the All Blacks plastered all over the local newspaper.  The All Black halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow says it was a great reception with many more people attending than the club is used to for its home games every Saturday.

TAWERA KERR-BARLOW:  Their president said they get about 150 people usually, a cat and a goat he reckons.  We always enjoy getting amongst the children especially because we know they are some of our biggest fans and we were kids once as well.  It's a really good turnout.

While the All Blacks were relaxed around the fans they are well aware their supporters back home are desperate to see a dominant performance against Tonga after a mixed start to the tournament.  They have yet to put out a complete performance on the field but tomorrow's captain Kieran Read says they are not trying to focus too much on that.

KIERAN READ:  If things click certainly we will be happy but we know that there are structures in place that allow us to play well and there are certain things in our make up and in our skill-set that we have to really nail for it to come off and if they don't perhaps it doesn't look as great as we think it might.  We just go out there and play.

Tonga too have a lot to play for as they look to restore some pride in what has been a miserable tournament for the Pacific island sides.  The three island teams only have a win each going into the final weekend and while Fiji were unlucky to be drawn in the toughest pool, both Samoa and Tonga have performed below expectations.  The Tongan captain Nili Latu says their losses to Georgia and Argentina have made for a disappointing campaign so far.

NILI LATU:  We came into this world cup with different ideas and it hasn't really gone the way we wanted but it can still finish on a high note, especially playing the All Blacks on Friday.

This weekend sees some other big matches with Wales jostling with Australia to top the pool of death and Scotland trying to secure a place in the final eight with their match against Samoa.  While the All Blacks management have had a good opportunity to look at other teams throughout the pool phase and assess who their main threats might be, the coach Steve Hansen says they can't read too much into how teams have performed so far.

STEVE HANSEN:  I don't think you can read much into the pool play.  You have just got to say righto, Wales and Australia have achieved what they want, they've qualified.  New Zealand and Argentina have achieved what they want, they've qualified.  The next round is serious isn't it?  If you don't win you go home.  Not everyone is going to win.

Steve Hansen says members of the team coaching staff will attend the match between France and Ireland at Cardiff with the All Blacks likely to meet the losers in the quarterfinal at Millennium Stadium next week.