Kaino learning second-row ropes or WTF is Hansen thinking?

Kaino learning second-row ropes

09th Sep 2015, 11:09

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Back-up lock: Jerome Kaino

All Blacks flank Jerome Kaino is adding a new string to his bow as he learns some of "dark arts" involved in playing in the second row.

The veteran loose forward, who was a key member of New Zealand's 2011 World Cup-winning team, has been earmarked to provide back up for the second row after the Kiwi selectors made the bold choice of picking just three specialist locks in their 31-man group travelling to England.

With 61 Test caps under his belt, Kaino has enough experience to adapt to new situations and played an hour at lock during a training session in Auckland this week.

"It wasn't too bad," said 32-year-old on Wednesday ahead of the team's departure on Thursday.

"Obviously you have to stick your head in some dark places in the tight five, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and it adds a string to my bow."

Scrum coach Mike Cron has been working with Kaino to eased his transition into the tight five, which involves more that just set-piece work but also adjusting running lines and targets

"The running lines] are different but we understand the game that we want to play and what we want to achieve so it isn't too hard to adapt," he said.

"Wherever the coaches want me, I'll jump and scrum wherever they want me to.

"There are different areas you need to work on - obviously the dark arts of scrummaging.

"But I've been there before and I've scrummaged, and Crono has got some good tips for me. It wasn't too bad. I wouldn't call it hard. It was different."

The Blues veteran is one of 14 survivors from the 2011 squad having played all of the All Blacks' seven games. The core experience of the group will be invaluable in this year's edition but Kaino insists they must keep looking forward, and not rest on their laurels. 

"It's good and we'll take a lot of confidence out of that, but I think being world champions, having that title doesn't give us anything," he explained. 

"We've got to look at it as a new challenge and getting over there, everyone's going to be wanting to knock us off, so we've got to prepare and can't live on the 2011 victory to get us through.

"We've got to start new and look at it as a new challenge."

 what's the case then to bring only 3 locks for leaving space to take 6 backrowers? hard to understand if one of the backrowers has to learn to play as a lock.
For the first time in a very long while I completely disagree with what the AB coach team is doing. The worst, to take Naholo instead of Piutau or Dagg.
They are taking one player who has played 40 minutes of test rugby and is injured. He cannot play at least untill the game against Georgia (the3rd of the AB) which means that the AB have 3 outside backs to play the first 2 matches. Taking into account that the first match will be played on Sunday and the second the next thursday with only 4 days btwin them this decision seems quite mistaken.
The risk of having injuries is very high playing these 2 test matches in 4 days. To avoid injuries the best would have been to play them with completely diferent teams and this would have been posible taking only 2 scrumies and 5 not injured outside backs (with Dagg and Piutau instead of Naholo), being the backline for the first match against Argentina:

9. A. Smith    10. D.Carter
12. Nonu        13. C. Smith
11. J. Savea    14. Milner-Skuder      15. B. Smith

and the backline for the match agaist Namibia, a second string backline but more than enough to easily beat them:

9. TJ Perenara     10. Barret/Slade
12. SBW             13. Feikitoa
11. Piutau           14. I Dagg         15. Slade/Barret

but with the way the coach team has choosen 2 of the 3 incumbent outside backs will have to play 2 test matches in 4 days (considering that Barret or Slade will play FB).

What if Savea or B. Smith get injured in the completely insignificant match against Namibia?

 it has a lot more sense also to take 4 locks, the 2 incumbents to play against Argentina and the other 2 against Namibia.
In this case with only 5 backrowers, one of the incumbents would have to play the 2 matches. But having C. Taylor who has played in the backrow and even as center could have been used to play the 3 backrow incumbents against Argentina and the other 2 plus C. Taylor against Namibia,....... it's just N amibia

 Dont blame poor Hansen he has no locks, no props etc what is the poor man to do!!!you might find wee mcaaaw at lock!

 i reckon Naholo should have sat it out ,hes plenty young and by 2019 will be at his peak .Piatau or Dagg would do me just fine ,especially that big boot of Daggs .