Aisle Be Back: All Blacks v Wales in Wellington

I'm starting New Zealand's smallest club. It's called We Need English Rugby to Flourish.

Before you doubt my sanity, and bearing in mind the tradition of everyone reading way too much into the opening tests of the southern window, I may need to do some explaining.

England you see are on a hot streak - it's amazing what a change of coach can do. They seem to be playing to their strengths of muscle, but mixed with some adventure, and capped off with their usual solidity in goal-kicking.

Under Fast Eddie Jones, they also seem to be playing with a bit of mongrel. And who isn't loving the antics of their coach, who being an Aussie, is playing on his home country's sensitivities magnificently. It's great side-theatre to watch, and after coaches who largely refuse to engage in a bit of biff, really refreshing.

So what else did we see at the weekend? Well, Australia losing to the said England, and you wouldn't wager on them turning things around. And the Boks losing to an Ireland playing with 14 men for most of their match. Now these are our two most traditional and closest rivals for many years and
honestly, the idea of them losing pretty miserably at home is a bit staggering.

I am bit worried that neither the Boks or the Aussies (and don’t even start on the French) are going to be doing anything more than plateauing this season. And that's bad news for the All Blacks and test rugby. We need tough tests, close tests, ones where you are thinking, heck, we're going to lose this. I really don't get much of a kick out of blowouts.

So Fast Eddie, come away with a series win in Oz and I may even do a wee victory lap. The English kind, where you've just drawn, of course.

And then we can look forward to the northern tour, and Twickenham, and all the hoopla that will bring. And God, what if England won. They'd basically be world champs.
Oh no, hold on, we aren't even playing England in the Northern tour this year!! That's very disappointing; they'll probably be world champs by then without even playing us. 

(If you'd like to subscribe to my club, please send me a 5 pound postal order - none of that foreign Euro rubbish).

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Good to see Wales turn up – the midweek dirt trackers, not so much. On Saturday, they exploited the All Blacks’ lack of cohesion and rustiness well for 60 minutes.

Obviously the All Blacks’ superior bench coincided with the Welsh having emptied their gas tank - and so we saw a bit of a flattering blowout.

That 60 minute killer punch combo doesn't happen every time, but it makes me wonder what exactly the All Blacks are doing that keeps them ahead of the curve fitness-wise. I would have thought we don't monopolise world knowledge on stamina and conditioning.

Yet somehow the rest of the world isn't closing the gap in that regard. Other teams can hardly expect to challenge consistently if  they are only able to play at a high intensity for three-quarters of the match.
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It should be a great night at the stadium. I hope you've got your tickets sorted and that we hear some of that fine Welsh singing and see the All Blacks stepping up a gear, including one Mr J Savea.

I'm picking Hansen will put out the same side but wouldn't it be nice to see Ardie ripping into the fray from the start.  Ah well, that may happen in the third test.

Lifelong All Blacks supporter Kev has followed the Hurricanes since they began. He has a season pass. Every year he predicts the Canes will win Super Rugby. He refuses to be called a long-suffering fan.