Alien atmosphere for men in black

BY DAVID LONG IN CARDIFF

THE All Blacks will find themselves in foreign territory in more ways than one when they face Italy in one of European football's most spectacular stadiums next weekend.

Attack coach Steve Hansen predicts a pressure-cooker situation for the All Blacks in Milan next weekend as they face the dual challenge of a fired up Azzurri home team and taming a boisterous 80,000 sellout crowd at the famed San Siro stadium which is the home ground for the city's two soccer giants, AC Milan and Inter Milan.

The test will be one of the biggest occasions in the history of Italian rugby. But the All Blacks can expect a football-style buzz among the crowd who will be vocal and intimidating.

For the All Blacks, it will be the time to perform for the players as the side will have a decidedly second-string look to it.

Few would pick Italy to upset the All Blacks but Hansen says the test comes with its challenges.

"I don't think playing Italy at their home is an easy test," Hansen told Sunday News.

"It's never been easy in the Six Nations to go to Italy and play there and it won't be easy to go to Milan and play in front of 80,000 people.

That atmosphere in itself will create pressure on people and what you want to see is how they cope with those pressures.

"Italy will play a game that will be based around kicking and putting us under tremendous pressure through their line speed and rushing defence.

"Again, that will create pressure in itself, so we'll see how people cope with that.

"The good players handle it, the guys that don't hang around for a long time don't.

"The reason they don't is because they can't handle the pressure."

Expect to see the likes of Anthony Boric, Andy Ellis, Liam Messam and Mike Delany make their first appearances of the tour next weekend. But Hansen cautioned that while there will be changes from the side that played Wales this morning, the selectors are cautious of upsetting the team's rhythm.

"It's a possibility those guys will get an opportunity, said Hansen, speaking before this morning's test in Cardiff.

"We want to give everyone an opportunity to play a game without making too many changes.

"We'll have to wait and see what happens this weekend but clearly there will be some changes for the Italy game."

For some players this could be their only opportunity to play a test on the tour and with less than two years to the next World Cup, it could be a make or break game for them.

Italy played the All Blacks in June in Christchurch, losing 27-6. The scoreline flattered the All Blacks that night with Italy competing well in the forward play and Nick Mallet's side would look to get at least parity there again.

"They were very good at the basics, they didn't play a very expansive game," Hansen said of the test in June.

"They were pretty tight with the type of game they wanted to play and put us under a bit of pressure at times.

"So we're looking forward to getting a second chance to play them.

"They'll be under a lot of pressure too."

- © Fairfax NZ News