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Tialata backs All Blacks resolve

July 14 2009

All Blacks prop Neemia Tialata has called on his supposedly under-performing team's critics to remember that last year's winning Tri-Nations campaign also started in very rocky circumstances.

The All Blacks have come under fire from all quarters in the wake of a disappointing series of June Tests against France and Italy, but the 34-times capped front rower reminded naysayers that a year ago the All Blacks came back from an even worse predicament - Test defeats to the Springboks and Wallabies - to retain their Tri-Nations crown.

New Zealand started the 2008 campaign with their first ever loss to South Africa at Carisbrook and were outmuscled 34-19 by the Wallabies in game two.

But a week later Graham Henry's team bounced back to hand Australia a 39-10 drubbing in Auckland before going on to eight more Test wins, bagging the Tri-Nations, the Bledisloe Cup and Grand Slam in Europe.

While Tialata recognises the criticism is not without merit, he backed the team to show the same resolve when the 2009 Tri-Nations kicks off at Eden Park on Saturday.

"We're in the same situation as last year, and like then we didn't panic," he told NZPA.

"We didn't listen to any pressure put on us by the media and the fans. It comes down to the players sticking together and individual belief."

There is a positive atmosphere in the All Blacks camp with the return of loose forwards Richie McCaw and Rodney So'oialo, who are available for the first time this year, and fly-halves Luke McAlister and Stephen Donald both expected to be fit.

The duo took full part in training on Tuesday before the Henry and assistant Wayne Smith decide who will face Wallabies maestro Matt Giteau.

Meanwhile, Tialata is hopeful of returning to the starting XV in place of John Afoa after missing the win over of Italy in Christchurch at the end of June due to a neck problem.

Tialata sustained the injury during the Hurricanes' Super 14 semi-final loss to the Chiefs on May 22 and admitted it had hampered his performance during the tests against France.

He originally thought a badly timed tackle was simply a dead arm but after being put through the mill by French loosehead Fabien Barcella he had scans that revealed a bulging disc had stretched a nerve.

"It put me back a bit (against France) but now I have to accept I have a problem there and not think about it too much," he said.

"I just have to manage it, I'm around 80-85 per cent (fitness)."

Tialata admitted the injury had made him slightly tentative at the engagement - and his performance was criticised, particularly after the French pack was dominant in Dunedin.

"All you can do is take it (criticism) on board and keep performing," he said.

"I don't really mind, it makes you a better player. You can't take it to heart."