News

Grand Slam eases Mealamu's RWC pain

December 02 2008

All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu feels that last year's World Cup nightmare has been buried by the impressive Grand Slam win over the four Home Unions.

Apart from helping complete the third Grand Slam in All Blacks history, Mealamu said another highlight of the tour was seeing the development of the many young players in the squad.

So, too, was keeping all four Test opponents - Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England - tryless.

Mealamu, who returned to Auckland on Monday with the bulk of the All Blacks party after their northern hemisphere tour, was met with the news that New Zealand were drawn in the same pool for the 2011 tournament as France - their surprise quarter-final conquerors in Cardiff fourteen months ago.

The Blues hooker was rapt with the draw, saying the French would provide a strong early challenge.

"I think it will be awesome," he told NZPA.

"It's good to have some good competition in the round robin. Hopefully, it prepares you for what lies ahead."

However, Mealamu downplayed the fact that New Zealand, the 2011 hosts, would come up again against the country that ended their aspirations the last time around.

"That's buried now," he said of the 18-20 defeat at Millennium Stadium.

"That's buried with the Grand Slam. It's been a hard 12 months and it's really nice to finish like this and put New Zealand rugby back up there again."

The Auckland hooker was part of the 2007 World Cup squad, but didn't play in the quarter-final, which marked the second time in three World Cup tournaments that France eliminated New Zealand.

He was picked on the bench, but then had to pull out because of a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, Assistant Coach Wayne Smith said he expected the New Zealand-France fixture to open the 2011 tournament.

"It's pretty exciting having France in the pool," he said.

"I suppose that will be the opening match, so it will be pretty big for the country."

Smith praised the spirit of the present All Blacks, who showed their resilience with their ability to lift their performance in the second half of matches.

"We had to fight back from pretty tough positions in very passionate environments," he said.

"Each team we played up there saw it as a chance to make history, so you are always battling against players who will throw everything into it."

Smith said his decision to stay with the All Blacks, rather than accept an offer to coach Welsh side Ospreys, came after he spoke to the players.

He admitted that "there was a bit of ego involved" in wanting to be a head coach again "but then I gave myself an upper cut".

"I spoke to the players and I've got everything in this team that a head coach would want," he said.

"I've got contribution and great players, so the people were definitely the reason I stayed."