Tri Nations rugby: All Blacks coaches hold team back in training for Argentina clash as intensity builds

The All Blacks have been controlled by assistant coach John Plumtree after it appeared they had peaked before Saturday’s rematch against Argentina.

The team is in its second week of training after a historic loss to Los Pumas, and the second in a row at the Tri Nations.

The unusual circumstance of spending a week in limbo on hiatus has meant that the All Blacks coaching staff have had to carefully plan their approach to training.

But speaking to the media from Sydney, Plumtree admitted they got a bit carried away this week.

“The intensity was a little higher than usual due to the bye week and then we had a very good intense session [yesterday] where we had a feeling the guys are ready to go now, “Plumtree said.” We had to stop them a bit. “

“We are enjoying going back to work after a week without exams at the end, where this week it feels great to be able to go back to work.”

All Blacks fullback Beauden Barrett said the intensity level was likely due to their not viewing his break as a free week.

“We work on our game, we train really hard, so we’re excited to have something to look forward to this week,” Barrett said. “We want to finish strong in this competition and finish our year on the top.

“We have learned a lot from [the loss to Argentina] and we have been training areas where we will seek to exploit that defense, so we are aware that there is an opportunity and it is only about executing it. “

Meanwhile, Barrett revealed that he and his wife Hannah, along with baby Billie, were leaving for Japan early next week.

Barrett signed with Japanese club Suntory Sungoliath earlier on a sabbatical and said the plan was to fly there immediately after the weekend’s game, rather than face double quarantine.

“We are going to go to Japan together next, so I can’t wait for that,” he said. “I think we have two weeks of isolation there, so we have a lot of time to take control and give Han a break. I’m looking forward to that.”

The All Blacks play Argentina in Newcastle on Saturday night.