They're the best of enemies, these All Blacks.
Busy plotting running angles while they're drawing battle lines at the same time. Hugging it up as soon‑to‑be test team‑mates, yet wary that in just a few short days they'll be slogging it out once again as mortal adversaries.
It's certainly an interesting dynamic as the 33‑man All Blacks squad to face the French in June gather in Auckland for a contentious three‑day training camp that ran through yesterday, smack‑bang in the middle of a regular old Super Rugby week.
So, just three nights after these All Blacks "brothers" disperse, a fair swag will be crossing swords in Christchurch when the Crusaders host the Hurricanes in a top‑of‑the‑table clash with major title ramifications.
It's a delicate situation not lost on these All Blacks as they do their best to put franchise rivalry to the side for the greater good of the No 1 side in the world. As Steve Hansen has repeatedly stated, it's called a compromise.
Still, with a No 10 from each side designated to talk to the media, in the form of Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo'unga, that uneasy truce in camp was bound to get an airing.
Beauden said to stuff.co it's a unique and different challenge. He has one brother (Jordie) with him in the Canes, and another (Scott) is down at the Crusaders, and all three come together in these All Blacks.
The Crusaders will play the Hurricanes at 7.35pm Friday.
Source:Stuff.co.nz
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