Steve Hansen eager for competition to develop for All Blacks positions – 'The more you’ve got, the harder they work!'

November 27, 2017

Hansen believes the development the All Blacks have made this year will help them in the future.

Steve Hansen has made sure the first-choice All Blacks who missed their Europe duties won't have an especially comfortable summer.

The canny New Zealand coach says the new and semi-new players who took their place will be knocking loudly on the door for more Test action in 2018.

Hansen has spent the second half of the season espousing the benefits of dipping into his depth, due to injury and unavailability.

He is impressed enough by what he's seen to suggest the big guns who havent been playing won't waltz straight back.

"Competition is massive. The more competition you've got, the harder everyone has to work," Hansen said.

"The fact that someone else has stepped up and played well will make them hungry to want to be back.

Hansen said the team overcame a lot of issues, with plenty of new faces stepping up to the mark.

"They won't be so apt to take it for granted because they know what it's like not to be in there."

Among those who failed to finish the season was the first choice front row of Owen Franks, Joe Moody and Dane Coles, while Charlie Faumuina left for France.

At lock, Brodie Retallick was unavailable from August while veteran loose forwards Kieran Read and Jerome Kaino were hobbled while on tour.

Aside from Aaron Cruden's departure, the inside and midfield backs were largely impervious to the All Blacks' personnel issues.

Not so the back three, where injury removed Israel Dagg, Jordie Barrett and Nehe Milner-Skudder from the frame while Ben Smith simply took a break.

The All Blacks coach said the 20-year-old started 2017 with a bang and never let up.

Hansen says it's been an unexpected challenge.

"While we had to re-establish in 2016, in 2017 we've had to rebuild, and we weren't planning on doing that," he said.

"This year we've had to hear that 'we're not playing well and we're not doing this right or that well'.

"Whilst it's made it difficult at times, it's given us a big advantage going forward."

Asked to single out players to impress him, Hansen admitted brilliant winger, Rieko Ioane was a stand-out.

Elsewhere, he described flanker Sam Cane as a model of consistency while hookers Codie Taylor and Nathan Harris had both adapted well to increased game time.

Hansen says plans are already in motion to handle 2018, which will feature an extra round of Super Rugby.

Countering that, the series in June against France shouldn't match the intensity of this year's British and Irish Lions experience.

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